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Showcasing the roles of women in Switzerland

Held in Zurich in 1958, the "Saffa" exposition showcased the work of Swiss women, who at that time did not have the right to vote. The two-month event highlighted their contributions to their families, their jobs and to society as a whole.

Organised by major national women’s groups, the motto of the expo was “the life cycle of women in family, work and state”. In keeping with the traditional image of women in the 1950s, the expo promoted the following curriculum vitae: training and employment before marriage, motherhood and homemaking after that, and then a return to the workforce once the children had grown up. Prior to the first nationwide vote on women’s suffrage, Swiss women didn’t lobby very hard in favour of their political rights. On February 1, 1959, two thirds of the voters – all male – decided against giving women the right to vote. (Photos: Keystone, RDB)

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR