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Swiss Women Walk for Better Protection of Rights
Women in several Swiss cities took to the street Wednesday to highlight abuses of women's rights as part of the World Women's March, according to a Swiss Radio International report.
In the Swiss capital of Berne, one aspect which the demonstrators are keen to highlight is the struggle for better working conditions for women.
Ruth Vermot-Mangold, a female member of the federal House of Representatives, said that she had planned to ask the parliament to vote on plans to give greater protection to victims of domestic violence.
If her suggestions are approved, the victims of violence, who are by and large women and children, would remain in the household and the offender would be forced to move out. The offender would have to stay away from his home for at least 10 days. So far, it is the victims who have been told to leave their homes.
Figures show an alarmingly high level of cases of domestic violence in Switzerland. Vermot-Mangold said, "At least 20 percent of women in Switzerland are the victims of domestic violence."
However, she is far from confident that parliament will approve her initiative. "There are quite a few right-wing men who will oppose it. Parliament has always been reluctant to deal with the painful reality of domestic violence," she added.
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