News
Church bells will ring out in Geneva at 11 in the morning on 14 June in solidarity with a national “strike” for women’s equality being held throughout Switzerland.
On 14 June 1991 -- 10 years after equality between the sexes was enshrined in the Swiss constitution -- half a million women walked out of their workplaces or homes to protest persistent inequalities.
Three decades on, however, unions and rights groups say things have barely improved.
Organisers are calling on Swiss women to join a national demonstration, again on 14 June, to demand "more time, more money, more respect".
In Geneva, the local ecumenical group of Protestant and Catholic churches are supporting the calls for respect, dignity and equality. A programme of workshops and presentations held at the church at Plainpalais, will range from looking at “#MeToo in the Bible” to providing materials and workspace to produce placards for the afternoon march.
While the bells ring, the World Council of Churches (WCC) will hold a special prayer at 11:00 am in the Ecumenical Centre chapel.
“The World Council of Churches entirely supports the values of equality for women which underpin the actions planned for 14 June, We will accompany the work done by the local churches in Geneva.” said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.
