Alliance F facts for kids

alliance F is a big group of women's associations in Switzerland. Its full name in German is Bund Schweizerischer Frauenvereine (BSF). In French, it's Alliance de sociétés féminines suisses (ASF). Since 2011, it has been known as alliance F. This organization works to support women and improve their rights in Switzerland.

How alliance F Started

At the end of the 1800s, some important women leaders from cities like Bern, Zürich, Lausanne, and Geneva started talking. They wanted to help women with education and legal rights. In 1896, they held the first Swiss women's meeting. They hoped to bring all women's groups together.

Three years later, in 1899, they officially formed the Federation of Swiss Women's Associations. This group, later called BSF, wanted to help women inspire each other. They also aimed to influence political decisions and represent Swiss women around the world.

From 1903, the BSF became the main Swiss group for the International Council of Women (ICW). Many different women's groups joined the BSF over the years.

Early Efforts for Women's Rights

The BSF worked hard to change laws. For example, when the Swiss Civil Code was being created, they tried to improve women's property rights. They also wanted better rights for children born outside of marriage.

The BSF also focused on other important issues. These included protecting mothers and making sure women were included in health insurance plans. They also worked on the Swiss insurance for old people and surviving family members (AHV).

Even though a new group was formed for women's right to vote, the BSF strongly supported this cause after 1909. They also looked into working conditions for women in factories and other jobs. They tried to stop unfair treatment of female workers.

Education and Work for Women

The BSF believed that home economics should be a required subject in Swiss schools. They also wanted domestic work to be seen as a real profession. In 1923, they helped open an office to advise women on careers.

During the difficult years between the two big European wars, women's jobs were at risk. The BSF worked with national defense efforts during World War II. They became a key contact for the government on issues like care and nutrition.

After 1945, the BSF also represented Switzerland in international women's groups. They took part in the League of Nations and later UNESCO.

Moving Towards Equality

In 1949, the BSF changed its rules to include mixed-gender groups. They also brought in the Swiss Federal women's secretariat.

A big campaign for "Equal pay for equal work" started. In 1958, the BSF held another large exhibition called SAFFA. This event promoted a "three-phase model" for women's lives. This model suggested women would train and work, then focus on motherhood and family, and then return to their careers. These efforts helped women gain more equality. The BSF worked to improve women's standing in public life, childhood, and marriage laws.

SAFFA: Swiss Exhibition for Women's Work

Lux Guyer's SAFFAhaus, a building from the exhibition, still stands today.

The Saffa-Insel is an artificial island created for the exhibition.

From July 17 to September 15, 1958, the BSF organized the second SAFFA exhibition. SAFFA stands for "Swiss Exhibition for Women's Work." It attracted 1.9 million visitors! More than a hundred women's groups from all over Switzerland took part.

The exhibition was held on the Landiwiese in Zürich. For the event, an artificial island called the Saffa-Insel was built. This island is still a popular spot today for swimming and events.

The main idea of the 1958 SAFFA was "Life circle of women in family, occupation, and country." It showed women the many possibilities they had in education, work, shopping, and free time. The exhibition promoted the "three-phase model" for women's lives. This model suggested women work before marriage, then focus on family, and later return to the workforce.

SAFFA also aimed to make men understand the important work women do for society. The money earned from the SAFFA exhibitions helped create support programs for women.

In 2007, the Swiss government signed an agreement to fully recognize women's human rights in Switzerland. There was talk of organizing a third SAFFA exhibition. The idea was to gather new ideas for the future from women's perspectives. While a third SAFFA hasn't happened yet, alliance F is still working on projects to share women's views on the future.

Organisation and Changes

After 1970, the BSF faced some challenges. It lost some of its influence. Even new women's congresses in 1975 and 1996 didn't fully stop this trend. The Federal Commission for women's issues took over some of its roles.

In 1999, the BSF decided to change its name to alliance F. This new name marked a fresh start. A group called Arbeitsgemeinschaft Frauen 2001 was formed. It aimed to update the "three-phase model" from 1958. They supported the "Ticino Model," which helps women balance working and being a mother. This model is now used in many pre-schools and primary schools.

Member Organizations

As of November 2014, alliance F includes more than 150 different women's organizations from all over Switzerland. These groups work together to achieve common goals.

Important Leaders

Here are some of the key people who have led or helped found alliance F and its earlier form, BSF:

• Emma Pieczynska-Reichenbach (co-founder)
• Camille Vidart (co-founder, board member until 1908)
• Emma Boos-Jegher (co-founder, vice president 1912–1916)
• Helene von Mülinen (co-founder, president 1900–1904)
• Pauline Chaponnière-Chaix (co-founder, president 1904–1910 and 1916–1920)
• Klara Honegger (co-founder, president 1911–1916)
• Elisabeth Zellweger (president 1920–1929)
• Anne de Montet-Burckhardt (president 1929–1935)
• Clara Nef (president 1935–1944)
• Adrienne Jeannet-Nicolet (president 1944–1949)
• Gertrud Haemmerli-Schindler (president 1949–1955)
• Denise Berthoud (president 1955–1959)
• Dora Julia Rittmeyer-Iselin (president 1959–1965)
• Rolande Gaillard (president 1965–1971)
• Jacqueline Berenstein-Wavre (president 1975–1980)
• Sibylle Burger-Bono (president 1999–2005)
• Rosmarie Zapfl-Helbling (president 2006–2014)
• Maya Graf (co-president since)
• Elisabeth Nägeli (vice president 1939–1967)
• Jeanne Eder-Schwyzer (board member 1949–1957)
• Marthe Gosteli (board member 1968–1972)

See also

• Members of Bund Schweizerischer Frauenvereine
• SAFFA
• Women's suffrage in Switzerland

Literature

• Silke Redolfi: Frauen bauen Staat. 100 Jahre Bund Schweizerischer Frauenorganisationen; 1900–2000. Verlag der NZZ, Zürich 2000, ISBN: 3-85823-819-8.
• Sibylle Brändli: Der Supermarkt im Kopf: Konsumkultur und Wohlstand in der Schweiz nach 1945. Böhlau Verlag, Wien 2000, ISBN: 9783205992646.
• Marie-Louise Barben, Elisabeth Ryter: Verflixt und zugenähnt. Frauenberufsbildung - Frauenerwerbsarbeit 1888 - 1988. Bern 1988, ISBN: 9783905278330.
• M. Beyeler: La SAFFA (Schweiz. Ausstellung für Frauenarbeit) de 1958 à Zurich: son architecture et ses architectes. Dissertation, Lausanne 1999.
• Dorothee Huber: Die Tugend der Not. Zu den beiden historischen Ausstellungen für Frauenarbeit (SAFFA 1928 und 1958). In: Ausstellungen - Darstellungen, Beiträge zum Diplomwahlfach "Frauen in der Geschichte des Bauens", Vol. 3, Petra Stojanik (pbl), Lehrstuhl Flora Ruchat-Roncati ETHZ, Zürich 1995.