Philippine Embassy Berne pays tribute to Filipino organizations

advocating women causes

In celebration of the International Women’s Day and the National Women’s Month this March, the Philippine Embassy pays tribute to all Filipino organizations, as well as to individuals who have advocated women’s causes.

In Switzerland, there are a number of Filipino organizations that advocate the issues of women, two of which deserve special mention: Samahang Pilipina and the Women International Group.

The Samahang Pilipina (SP) was founded in 1985 and to date, the organization has several chapters in Switzerland.

As the name suggests, the organization is a women’s organization. And while its membership is exclusive to women, its activities are not. The SP chapters across Switzerland aim to help Filipino women diaspora not only to adjust to their adopted environment but also to enable them to deal with the intricacies of married life, motherhood and career life. 

The SP Berne, for instance, have conducted several seminars and workshops aimed towards uplifting the status of women, as well as open discussion with a trained psychologist on partnership, child-rearing, relationships, and marital issues. Part of SP Berne’s empowerment activities include financial literacy workshop, skills training on housekeeping and cleaning course.

To enable Filipino women in Switzerland adjust to their adopted home, SP Berne periodically conducts integration seminars and participates in integration events such as the Frauenstreiktag, a day for women of all nationalities living in Switzerland. In 1992, it has also linked up with Babaylan, the Philippine Women’s Network in Europe, and with Babyalan – Switzerland, organized the Europe-wide Filipina Conference in Zürich.

To increase visibility of Filipino women, SP Berne also participated in the “One Billion Rising” event in Bern, as part of its support for the worldwide event on Valentine’s Day protesting violence against women.   

SP Berne is also active in organizing educational events and trips for its members. For instance, the group filmed a documentary entitled, “Breaking the Silence”, a story of four Filipina domestic workers in Switzerland. Likewise, it had staged a number of film showing for its members designed to increase their awareness on the social issues attendant to migration. A number of trips to different countries in Europe have also been organized by the group for its members.

The SP Luzern chapter, on the other hand, focuses its activities toward providing support for Filipino women having family problems by assisting them to get proper help from concerned authorities. Other activities by the SP Luzern involve extending financial assistance to various charity projects in the Philippines and conducting health lectures for women in rural areas.

Another organization that gives importance to women issues and concerns is the Women International Group - Thun (WING), an organization based in Thun in Canton Berne. WING is the only Filipino organization in Switzerland that annually celebrates Mother’s Day through various activities since 2003. While not exclusively for women, its members are mostly housewives. Celebrating Mother’s Day, therefore, is WING’s way of honouring its members and giving importance to their role as mothers. 

Apart from SP and WING, the Sisters’ Community of Seraphic Love Solothurn (Solothurn Sisters) also gives premium to women issues. The Solothurn Sisters has what is popularly known as an Apostolate for Women in Need, a program of spiritual, personal, social and cultural assistance particularly for Filipino women living in Switzerland. The program also provides assistance to women experiencing familial and marital difficulties through counselling, guidance and other social activities.  

These groups are just but a few of the organizations in Switzerland that have really promoted women’s welfare and helped the cause of women. And in celebration of the Women’s month this March, the Philippine Embassy honors them and their contributions toward uplifting the status of Filipino women in diaspora as well as the less privileged ones in rural areas in the Philippines. END