Redress initiative

The reparation initiative called for reparations for contract children and victims of compulsory welfare measures in Switzerland. Its aim is both scientific processing and the establishment of a fund of 500 million Swiss francs for the benefit of the victims. As an indirect counter-proposal, the parliament passed the "Federal Act on the Processing of Compulsory Care Measures and External Placements Before 1981", which partially implemented the initiative's concerns. As a result, the redress initiative was withdrawn and the law came into effect on April 1, 2017.

background

So-called compulsory welfare measures were carried out in Switzerland until the 1980s. People who did not correspond to the moral values of the time, were poor or marginalized, received so-called administrative care by the state . Serious grievances, abuses and attacks in the social area were the result, to which the victims were exposed without protection or rights.

There are those affected for a variety of reasons:

Contract children : They were officially placed with farmers as foster children, but in fact mostly as cheap child laborers. Often poorly nourished and severely punished, they were disadvantaged because of their excessive workload in school.
Home children : They were often beaten, brutally and humiliatingly punished in other ways and abused. They, too, often had to work hard on their own farms, with low fare. The home schools were by no means a guarantee of a good education.
Victim of administrative provisions
Victims of forced sterilization, forced castration and forced abortion
Victims of forced adoptions
Travelers : From 1926 to 1973, hundreds of Yenese children were raised from their families as part of the Kinder der Landstrasse project of the semi-state Pro Juventute foundation in close cooperation with the authorities and placed with farmers as contract children or in homes and educational institutions.

Victim of drug trials

initiative

requirements

The reparation initiative launched by entrepreneur Guido Fluri wants

compensation for contract children and victims of compulsory welfare measures.
a scientific analysis of this dark chapter in Swiss history.
a fund of CHF 500 million - victims who are severely affected receive reparation from it.
An independent commission examines each case individually.

Committee

The initiative is supported by a broad committee that also includes many Swiss politicians:

Matthias Aebischer , National Councilor SP
Joachim Eder , Councilor of States FDP
Jacqueline Fehr , National Councilor SP
Guido Fluri , initiator, Guido Fluri Foundation
Balthasar Glättli , National Councilor for Greens
Ursula Haller , BDP National Councilor
LisaYolanda Hilafu, victim and president of the IG Forced Adoption Switzerland
Thomas Huonker , historian, Verein Fremdplatziert
Margrit Kessler , National Councilor glp
Ueli Mäder , Professor of Sociology, University of Basel
Ursula Müller-Biondi, affected person and contact person of the association for the rehabilitation of administratively cared for 1942–1983 (RAVIA)
Sylvie Perrinjaquet , FDP National Councilor
Christof Poeschmann, affected person and member of the association for the rehabilitation of those administratively cared for 1942–1983 (RAVIA)
Rosmarie Quadranti , BDP National Councilor
Luc Recordon , Member of the Green Council
Barbara Schmid-Federer , National Councilor CVP
Ursula Schneider Schüttel , National Councilor SP
Dominik Strebel, Head of Studies at the Swiss Journalism School MAZ
Marianne Streiff , EPP National Councilor
Roland Wahrenberger, Managing Director Observer
Walter Zwahlen, President of the netzwerk association

Initiative text

The federal constitution is amended as follows:

Art. 124a

Reparation for the victims of compulsory welfare measures and third-party placements

1 The Confederation and cantons ensure compensation for the injustice suffered in particular by residential children, contract children, administratively cared for, forcibly sterilized or forcibly adopted persons and travelers due to compulsory welfare measures or third-party placements.
2 They ensure an independent scientific analysis of these measures and promote public discussion about them.

Art. 196 no. 12

12. Transitional provision to Art. 124a (reparation for the victims of compulsory welfare measures and third-party placements)

1 The Confederation is establishing a fund of CHF 500 million for the victims of compulsory welfare measures and third-party placements made before 1981.
2 Eligible are people who were directly and severely affected by such measures. The amount of reparation depends on the injustice suffered. An independent commission decides on the alignment of the services.
3 The fund is dissolved twenty years after it was set up. Any remaining amount will be reimbursed proportionally to the depositor.

development

March 31, 2014 : Launch of the collection of signatures for the popular initiative with the support of politicians from right to left. In order to be able to submit the initiative, 100,000 signatures from voters must be collected within 18 months .

April 1, 2014 : Official start of collection

June 19, 2014 : Solidarity march in favor of the initiative. In Geneva, Jean Ziegler , Vice-President of the Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council, presented a petition.

December 19, 2014 : After an 8-month collection period, the reparation initiative can be submitted to the Swiss federal authorities with over 110,000 valid signatures.

January 12, 2015 : The reparation initiative officially came about.

January 14, 2015 : The Federal Council has an indirect counter-proposal drawn up. The Federal Council is in favor of a fund of up to 300 million. The FDJP will prepare a consultation draft by summer 2015.

April 27, 2016 : The National Council approves the government's indirect counter-proposal to the reparation initiative.

September 15, 2016 : The Council of States almost unanimously approves the government's indirect counter-proposal to the reparation initiative.

October 10, 2016 : The Initiative Committee withdraws the initiative on condition that the counter-proposal comes into force.

January 26, 2017 : The referendum deadline has passed without a referendum being held. This means that the initiative has finally been withdrawn.

April 1, 2017 : The federal law on the processing of compulsory welfare measures and third-party placements before 1981 comes into force, those affected can now submit an application for a solidarity contribution within one year. In addition, the law regulates the inspection of files and the scientific processing