Having a say: rights and obligations · Fundamental rights
Equality before the law and prohibition of discrimination
Topic
Equality before the law means: all people are equal before the law. The same rules apply to everyone, whether rich or poor, Swiss or foreign. But this does not mean that everyone earns the same amount or has the same amount of holiday. The cantons may also have different laws.
Women and men have equal rights. In principle, they have the same rights and obligations in the family, at work and in politics. They have a right to equal pay for work of equal value. Cooking or bringing up children is not the business of one sex only. But there is no fixed quota for political bodies.
The prohibition of discrimination protects people against unfair treatment. Nobody may be treated worse because of their origin, skin colour, sex, age, language, religion, disability or way of life. For example, anyone who does not get a job or is not allowed into the swimming pool because of their skin colour is being discriminated against. The prohibition of discrimination is part of equality before the law and is also in the Federal Constitution.
Key terms
- Rechtsgleichheit
- Equality before the law: all people are equal before the law.
- Gleichberechtigung
- Equal rights: women and men have the same rights.
- Diskriminierung
- Discrimination: someone is treated worse because of a characteristic such as skin colour or sex.
- Diskriminierungsverbot
- Prohibition of discrimination: the fundamental right that forbids such unfair treatment.
Exam questions on this topic
- What does equality before the law mean?Correct answer: C, All people are equal before the law.
- According to the Constitution and the law, women and men in Switzerland have equal rights. What does that mean?Correct answer: B, Women and men have fundamentally the same rights.
- Someone does not get a job because of their skin colour or their sex. Which fundamental right is violated?Correct answer: C, the right to equal treatment (prohibition of discrimination)
- Two young people are not let into the swimming pool because of their dark skin colour. Which fundamental right does this violate?Correct answer: B, the prohibition of discrimination