Thousands of people in the capital of Switzerland marched on Sunday to protest domestic violence and the country’s gender pay gap, where women earn roughly a fifth less than men, and did what people all over the world want to do in response to such issues.
At 3.24pm, a crowd of almost 2,000 participated in a mass scream, lasting around 60 seconds. They chose 3:24pm as that’s the time during an average workday when women no longer continue to be paid due to the wage gap.
During the protest, demonstrators held flash mobs and observed a minute of silence for the women who have been killed by their current or former intimate partners. The slogan: “If it’s a woman’s will, everything will stand still” was scrolled on posters, cardboard signs and chanted collectively throughout the demonstration.
Protests were also held in other Swiss cities including Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lausanne and Bellinzona.
Since 1991, Switzerland has seen annual Women’s Strike protests organised by trade unions to demand a constitutional amendment on gender equality in the workplace.
Due to pandemic-related restrictions, this year’s protests in Switzerland did not match the human numbers saw last year, when more than 500,000 people marched to inspire debates on issues including equal pay, allocation of childcare responsibilities and gendered violence.