Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA
The National Action Days on Disability Rights were co-organised by the Federal Bureau for the Equality of People with Disabilities (FBED). Sessions were held for the first time in Ticino and in other cantons.
The FDHA works to ensure the country has an efficient and effective health system that is accessible to all. It is also committed to protecting the pension system – state and occupational pensions – into the future. Its areas of activity include promoting cultural diversity and cohesion in society, gender equality and the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider
Head of the FDHA.
Member of the Federal Council since 2023.
Equality, solidarity and diversity are essential values that the FDHA defends and promotes on a daily basis.
Priorities of the FDHA in 2025
The FDHA works to strengthen social cohesion by ensuring gender equality and solidarity between generations, improving the inclusion of people with disabilities and promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. A further priority is the fight against racism.
The tasks performed by the staff of the FDHA have a direct impact on people’s everyday lives in a wide range of fields: social security and occupational pensions, containing costs in the health sector and authorising new medicines, promoting culture, food safety and animal health, providing reliable weather forecasts and statistics.
The Department is currently implementing numerous reform projects to ensure an efficient, financially sustainable healthcare system that is accessible to all in the long term, to guarantee favourable conditions for the cultural sector and to ensure sustainable financing of social security for current and future generations.
Expenses 2023 (CHF)
20.52bn
Staff (FTEs) 2023
2,759
Organisation chart FDHA
General Secretariat GS-FDHA
Co-secretaries general: Stefan Hostettler
and Jean-Christophe Kübler
www.edi.admin.ch
Federal Office for Gender Equality FOGE
Co-Directors: Stéphanie Lachat
and Gian Beeli
www.ebg.admin.ch
Federal Office of Culture FOC
Director: Carine Bachmann
www.bak.admin.ch
Swiss Federal Archives SFA
Director: Philippe
Künzler
www.bar.admin.ch
Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss
Director: Christoph Appenzeller
www.meteoswiss.admin.ch
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Director: Anne Lévy
www.bag.admin.ch
Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office FSVO
Director: Hans Wyss
www.blv.admin.ch
Federal Statistical Office FSO
Director:
Georges-Simon Ulrich
www.bfs.admin.ch
Federal Social Insurance Office FSIO
Director: Stéphane
Rossini
www.bsv.admin.ch
Autonomous organisations
Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic
Director: Raimund T.
Bruhin
www.swissmedic.ch
Swiss National Museum SNM
Director: Denise Tonella
www.nationalmuseum.ch
Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
Director: Philippe Bischof
(Michael Kinzer from July 2025)
www.prohelvetia.ch
