Votes for women

Previous Next

Meeting of delegates of the Swiss Union for Women's Suffrage, 1963 RDB

A demonstration for womens' suffrage RDB

Women demonstrate for the right to vote at the 1964 National Exhibition RDB

"The right to vote is a human right" - a banner on a roof in Zurich, 1966. The coats of arms are those of the cantons which had already granted women the vote at cantonal level. Keystone

Bemused tourists look at an anti-suffrage poster on a phone box in Zurich, 1966 Keystone

In 1966 women in Basel gave Helvetia, the embodiment of Switzerland, a placard saying "I cannot vote" Keystone

The 1969 March on Bern in support of votes for women RDB

The 1969 March on Bern: women blow whistles outside the parliament building Keystone / Joe Widmer

"No discrimination" - the March on Bern in 1969 Photopress Archiv

A demonstration in Zurich for women's suffrage, 1969 RDB

Women demonstrate outside parliament in 1969, as members start to debate the European Convention on Human Rights Keystone

Women in Zurich go to the polls at commune level for the first time in 1969 - they still cannot vote at cantonal or federal level RDB

Women in western Switzerland queue up to vote at communal elections in 1970 - they are still barred from voting at other levels Keystone

A woman in Zurich waits for her husband to vote on allowing female suffrage at cantonal level in 1970. The vote was passed. Keystone

"Man = head of the family = that's why NO on February 7" - a man hands out leaflets ahead of the 1971 vote Keystone

Posters calling for a "yes" vote in the 1971 vote - the one which is at last successful RDB

• Picture 1
• Picture 2
• Picture 3
• Picture 4
• Picture 5
• Picture 6
• Picture 7
• Picture 8
• Picture 9
• Picture 10
• Picture 11
• Picture 12
• Picture 13
• Picture 14
• Picture 15
• Picture 16

Switzerland was almost the last country in Europe to give women the vote, in 1971.

(All images Keystone and RDB)