Let's Talk Menopause: Discussion on International Women's Day 2026
To mark this year's International Women's Day, ETH Diversity is hosting an event that focuses on an important but often overlooked topic: menopause and its significance for everyday working life at ETH Zurich.
International Women's Day 2026 on 8 March will be marked worldwide by rights, justice and concrete action for all women and girls. This year's motto, "Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls" highlights the importance of making structural barriers visible and addressing taboo topics. This includes menopause – a stage of life that affects many people but is often overlooked in a professional context.
According to a study, one in five women in Switzerland reduce their workload due to the menopause, and 16 per cent even look for a new job. But hardly anyone talks about it. Not least because the menopause is still considered taboo in the workplace.
Making menopause visible in the workplace
With the event "Let's Talk Menopause: Exchange for Employees and Managers", which will take place on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 from 4.30 to 6.30 p.m. at food&lab, ETH Diversity is creating space for open dialogue and imparting scientific knowledge about health and psychological aspects. The event aims to raise awareness among those affected, as well as managers and teams, about the challenges of menopause and its accompanying symptoms, and to jointly consider how a supportive, health-promoting and inclusive working environment can be created.
Jo?lle Zingraff (co-CEO and founder of The Women Circle) will kick things off with a keynote speech on physical and psychological changes and supportive strategies for those affected in the workplace.
In a moderated panel discussion, Jo?lle Zingraff, Sascha Quanz (professor at D-PHYS, manager) and Nanja Strecker (managing director of ESA BIC Switzerland and ETH Zurich Space, manager and affected person) will discuss the challenges that exist in everyday working life, how those affected can be relieved and the role that openness plays.
At the end, the “meno (snack/apero) pause" invites participants to continue the discussion over light refreshments.
Schedule
4:30 p.m. – Welcome and introduction (Hanna Wolf)
4:40 p.m. – Keynote speech by Jo?lle Zingraff
5:10 p.m. – Panel discussion
5:45 p.m. – "Meno Break Café"
6:30 p.m. – End of event
Target
The format is open to all ETH members: employees, managers and students.
At a glance
When: Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 16.30–18.30
Where: food&lab
Event language: German
Registration required: Further information and registration
Around International Women's Day 2026, various units and groups within and outside ETH Zurich are offering events and activities that highlight the challenges, perspectives and rights of women.
Note on the translation
This text has been translated for your convenience using a machine translation tool. Although reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, it may not be perfect. If in doubt, please refer to the German version.
Should you come upon significant translation mistakes, please send a short message to so that we can correct them. Thank you very much.
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