Switzerland’s Women’s Rights

In February of 2021, Switzerland’s women cross an exciting milestone to be celebrated. This year in February was 50 years of Women’s Suffrage in Switzerland. Unlike many developed countries, this right was given to women at a very late time. Even more curious is the quick strides the women made there after. The amazing achievements of Swiss Women, and their strength to peruse in a hard culture will show the real girl power our world’s women hold.

Beginning fighting for women’s rights was a late and unheard of thought in Switzerland. The culture of Switzerland was very traditional. Women were suppressed into their roles society gave them as young women and told their job was only to do certain things.  Being a culture of traditional views, Swiss women were told their role was in the house and with children. Their role was sported from the world of work and providing and didn’t easily budge. Swiss women were told they were to serve fathers and husbands their whole lives.

As a result of this, when women in England and the US were getting their voting rights in the early 1900s, Swiss women were still still years and fights away from gaining that freedom. After the fight truly beginning in 1868, the first party (Socialist Party) to endorse women’s suffrage was in 1904. This didn’t push the cause forward, so women’s suffrage supporters started the Swiss Association for Women’s Suffrage. The organization worked hard, but almost 10 years later in 1918 was the first summation of two motions demanding women’s suffrage were submitted to the National Council. Though this seems like they were moving ahead, when summitted further to the Federal Council it was ignored and that attempt was finished.

After a little over another 10 years, in 1929 a Petition was submitted by the ASSF with 249,237 signatures (78,840 men, 170,397 women) for Women’s suffrage. This was passed by Parliament, but nothing was done with the passing of the petition. Sadly, an economic crisis set the women’s movement back increasingly in 1930 just a year later. With this crisis became the reinforced idea of the women’s role in the home because of fascist model for society. Through the 40s and 50s, women were still denied the right thought attempts were tireless. In Fact, in 1951, the Federal Council deemed the voting right for women premature.

Their closest yet, and most devastating attempt was soon thereafter. When the government wanted to pass a new law on the women’s obligations, women’s groups revolted. They argued they couldn’t have a law passed on their obligations if they couldn’t vote. So, in 1957,  the Federal Council of Switzerland submitted a bill on women’s suffrage. Though this was approved by BOTH chambers of Parliament, when it was sent to the people for voting, the all male voters shot it down. Though in some areas there was majority rule and it was, “it was introduced at cantonal and communal level”.

Finally, a change of tone happened in the 1970s for Switzerland! In 1971, Switzerland granted Women the national right to vote!

After getting the Right to vote, the women of Switzerland moved faster then you could say “suffrage”! Later in 1971, 10 women were voted into the lower house of parliament. Blunschy, a women’s activist of importance,  became the first woman president of the National Council in 1977. In 1981,  gender equality and equal pay for equal work was written into the Swiss constitution. Elisabeth Kopp then became the first female member of the Swiss Federal Council, the government’s seven-person executive, in 1984. Then in 1985, women were granted equal rights with men within family life. Lastly, not to end but to further the story of women’s suffrage in Switzerland, Ruth Dreifuss became the first female president of Switzerland in 1999.