Switzerland: this is the future” “” “

“The Family is the future”. This was the theme of the international Symposium on the family held in Fribourg, in Switzerland, on 17 and 18 November. Organized by the Swiss Foundation of the Family (FSF), the Symposium tried to review the situation of the family and to make proposals for the solution of the main problems faced by the family today. Single-parent families on the increase. In Switzerland too single-parent families are increasing: the growth rate rose from 14% in 1960 to 32,4% in 1990, and at the present time over 50% of families in Zurich are single-parent. The situation of the Swiss family was described by François de Siebenthal, president of the FSF, to the international Symposium in Fribourg. He denounced what he called the policy of the “destruction of the family” as the basis of society. According to the president of the Foundation, the tax regime in Switzerland favours non-married couples, and only 1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is allocated to families. Right to maternity denied. Switzerland still offers no legal protection for maternity insurance. This legislative gap places the Confederation in a position that bucks the trend of most European countries which make provision for paid maternity leave of at least 14 weeks. Some States go far beyond this provision in their allowances. Maternity insurance provision at the national level is one of the major shortcomings in Switzerland. In 1999, through a referendum, Swiss citizens rejected a proposal to introduce such insurance. According to François de Siebenthal, this lack is a denial of justice, since in Switzerland, since the second world war, there exists a constitutional guarantee that has never been implemented. At the present time, a woman who gives birth has a right to an 8 week period of leave without any obligation on the part of her employer to continue paying her salary. The example of Sweden. Switzerland is the only country in Europe not to make any general provision for maternity. Statistical studies show that marriage allowances favour births. It is no accident that Sweden, which provides for 450 days of family leave, registers the second highest maternity rate in Europe, second only to Ireland. According to Marie France Oberson, town councillor at Siviriez, the Swiss economy has a need for women’s work, but lacks the political will to provide the necessary incentives for short time and flexible hours for women with children in the various field of employment, especially in the public sector. Family, driving force of economic development. The challenge launched by the Fribourg symposium consists in creating new models for society. With the help of economic studies, the Swiss Family Foundation considers that financial aid allocated to families may help to generate the economic development of the country as a whole. According to the FSF proposal, each family that is created would receive a capital invested in private banks. This capital would give a boost to the economy and at the same time stimulate consumption in a decentralized way. “A family that lives in an isolated community, in a remote mountain valley, and that receives a sizeable capital, would thus kick-start the economic machine”. During the Symposiun, all the political, social and economic facilities in aid of the family were defended and urged. Numerous examples were cited to demonstrate that there are effective solutions. The Swedish association Haro, which belongs to the World Movement of mothers, was considered a fine example. It has among its objectives: giving parents more time to spend with their families; and taking due account, in the calculation of points for pensions, of the years dedicated to the education of children and including this contribution in the calculation of GDP.