SWISSAID is active in nine countries of the Global South and also in Switzerland. We carry out civil society awareness-raising work here and thus contribute to the democratic debate on issues in the Global South. We are convinced that through our civil society engagement we can make a sustainable contribution to improving the living conditions and prospects of the poorest people here and there. We have the expertise needed in this area, as 80 per cent of our 190 female employees work on the ground and closely with these people.
We keep you up to date
In Switzerland, we focus our information work on our special areas, namely agroecology, food sovereignty, promotion of smallholder families, climate protection and raw materials.
In recent years we have, for example, produced explanatory brochures, organized webinars in several languages, joint actions in favor of women farmers and a meeting in Switzerland with our program managers in the South. We have also joined forces with other organizations with the aim of making the reality on the ground better known and finding solutions in favor of local communities.
United for the 2030 Agenda
For the achievement of the UN-Sustainable Development Goals, in the development of which switzerland was involved init is necessary that that we, as part of Civil society be informed and participate participate in the democratic debate. Specifically, we believe we have a role to play in the fight against poverty, for the eradication of hunger, for gender equality, for the urgent fight against climate change and for access to clean water (read more here). Awareness of the problems and the active participation of civil society to solve them, are essential for the effective Achievement of these goals. And time is running out: 2030 will be here very soon!
Multi-Stakeholder-Dialog
We engage in dialogue with a wide range of key stakeholders: Companies, authorities, international institutions, representatives of the scientific community and our volunteers. When we believe that certain decisions or measures in Switzerland can contribute to improving living conditions in the South, we act as advocates for those affected. For example, we supported the Corporate Responsibility Initiative and are a member of the Climate Alliance.
In 2020, we published a study on the gold trade – more than half of which is transacted through Switzerland – out of the same stance. After a thorough investigation, we came to the conclusion that self-regulation by the industry is not enough to end human rights violations and environmental damage in the mining countries, but that there is also a need for action here in Switzerland.