Civil society organisations

Charitable organisations, some of them denominational, have been committed to helping the poor since the Middle Ages. In the 19^th century, they focused their charitable work on serving the needs of industrialized society and took on an important complementary role in the welfare state in the 20^th century.

These foundations emerged as a result of private initiatives. They are dedicated to the common good and prioritises private welfare over state support.

Women’s rights advocates have played an active role in debates surrounding the expansion of social security in Switzerland since the beginning. They advocated the creation of social insurances, called for specific regulations to protect female workers – in the event of maternity for instance – and criticized the discriminatory nature of certain aspects of social legislation.

The first healthcare leagues date to the turn of the 20^thcentury and were (and in part still are) dedicated to addressing specific illnesses. These leagues have provided various kinds of support, launched prevention campaigns, and supported research into these illnesses.

People with disabilities are making their voices heard through dedicated self-help organisations like Procap and many others.The introduction of disability insurance initially represented their top concern, before shifting the priorities to equal rights of the people with disabilities.