Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland
Switzerland: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 1.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland, 1980–2021
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 1.7% for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in 2021.
That represents a change of down 4.0% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland peaked at 1.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1989.
That places Switzerland 29th out of 41 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.9% | — |
| 1981 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 0.9% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 0.9% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 0.9% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.9% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | +27.9% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 1.3% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 1.4% | +7.8% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +6.1% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +9.0% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 1.4% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6% | +9.8% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 26 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.9% compare
- 27 Colombia 1.8% compare
- 28 Greece 1.7% compare
- 30 Republic of Korea 1.7% compare
- 31 Netherlands 1.6% compare
- 32 Canada 1.6% compare
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Switzerland was 1.7% in 2021, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1989.
- How does Switzerland rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Switzerland ranks 29th out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.