Annual Report 2019 Our work against poverty
2019
Editorial
Switzerland’s economic development in 2019 was positive, but the number of people experiencing poverty rose at the same time. Digitalisation is creating strong pressure to adapt. Thanks to ‘Fridays for Future’, climate change has taken centre stage in national and international politics. Worldwide, global warming affects above all the poorest in the global South. Advances made in fighting poverty and hunger are being wiped out. This leads to a growing number of climate refugees. For Caritas Switzerland, 2019 was very busy but also very successful. In Switzerland, the mandate from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) to provide advice and legal representation to asylum seekers was implemented. The ‘Maison d’Integration et de Formation’ in Matran is a great success. Caritas is in a strong position in the area of intercultural interpretation for government departments and hospitals. Quite a lot has also happened at the Regional Caritas Organisations, as you can read in this report. In International Cooperation, a repositioning was agreed, with the aim of geographic and thematic concentration. The number of countries in which Caritas will implement development programmes in the future was limited to twelve, and the focus is on the themes of income generation, climate, migration and humanitarian aid. The challenging adjustments have already brought some encouraging successes. The highest acquisition result of the last ten years was achieved, and large contracts were won from the EU. In its political work, Caritas has called on the Federal Council to elaborate an Africa strategy and to increase development aid to one per cent of gross national product. All our successes need people with commitment: in the governing bodies, as donors, as employees, as volunteers or as political decision-makers. They all deserve our appreciation and gratitude.
Mariangela WallimannBornatico President
Hugo Fasel Director
Content 4
International Cooperation
Africa is moving between progress and poverty. Caritas Switzerland improves the living conditions on the ground.
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Activities in Switzerland
With the Culture Pass, Caritas Switzerland successfully helps many marginalised people to reintegrate into social life.
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Humanitarian Aid
In 2019, Caritas Switzerland provided aid in several countries after natural disasters. It combines emergency relief with development-policy measures.
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Caritas in figures
In 2019, Caritas Switzerland was once again able to deploy its resources efficiently and in the right place, thanks to cautious cost management.
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Political Influence
With its analyses and its political work, Caritas Switzerland achieves visible successes in national and international themes.
Africa
A continent in transition A partnership of equals is required Africa is moving between progress and poverty. Caritas Switzerland’s work makes significant contributions to improving incomes, overcoming the climate crisis and for humane migration. Development cooperation improves opportunities on the ground but cannot on its own solve all the problems.
‘ Every third person in sub-
Saharan Africa is undernourished or suffers from hunger. ’ ‘If one considers how Africa has long been talked about, one can see that mostly Africa is an object, which is told how it must develop.’ So says the Senegalese economist, author and musician Felwine Sarr in an interview which is included in Caritas Switzerland’s 2020 Development Policy Almanac, with its focus on ‘Africa’ (see reference to the book on page 10). In his book ‘Afrotopia’, Sarr has countered this narrow view of his continent with a vision of how people in Africa can think and shape their future themselves. Anyone who places increased emphasis on development cooperation in Africa today is well advised to seek a partnership of equals.
Africa is basically very rich. Apart from its great cultural diversity, the continent has around one third of the world’s mineral resources. These include gold, cobalt and platinum, but also iron, aluminium, uranium, copper, diamonds and oil. However, in many parts, the abundance of natural resources has not led to a stimulus of sustainable development that benefits the population. Nigeria’s economy is hardly growing, despite huge oil reserves. And the Congo, rich in raw materials, does very badly in the Human Development Index (HDI). Globally, every tenth person has to live on less than 1.90 US dollars per day, and half of these people considered as extremely poor live in Africa – the trend is upward. Every third person in sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished or suffers from hunger. More than half the population has no access to clean water and sanitary facilities. Thanks to climate change – caused by other countries – there is a growing frequency of extreme weather events. They worsen both the food and the water situation in Africa to an unprecedented degree.
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International Cooperation
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In 2019,
980,000 people in Africa were able to improve their situation thanks to our projects.
In 2019, Caritas Switzerland helped
7,200 farmers to directly access the market. They were thus able to increase their income.
The effect of development cooperation in sub-Saharan Africa Africa is also increasingly important for Caritas Switzerland and its own international cooperation. This is reflected in the long-term projects of development cooperation in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda as well as in the emergency relief after cyclone Idai in spring 2019. Together with local partner organisations and with the poorest people, Caritas is looking for ways in which they can generate an income, adapt to climate change or migrate in a humane manner. Income: When generating incomes, the aim is to involve the poor in the market mechanism. Caritas Switzerland joins together with partner organisations which develop and process ag-
6 7 International Cooperation
Switzerland must question its approach to Africa Switzerland wants to respond to this situation and focus its development cooperation more strongly on Africa. That is the Federal Council’s plan in its strategy on international cooperation for the years 2021 to 2024. Caritas Switzerland has critically examined these plans. Conclusion: Our country is a long way from a partnership of equals with Africa. Switzerland’s current dealings with Africa are based on economic exploitation and a closed-doors policy with regard to migration. Caritas Switzerland has therefore called on the Federal Council to formulate a comprehensive Africa strategy which benefits Switzerland and at the same time improves the living conditions and future opportunities of the African population (see middle part of this report).
ricultural products with farmers. For example, projects in Chad promote the marketing of peanuts and products derived from the Karité tree fruit (shea butter) through local cooperatives.
‘ The aim is to involve the poor in the market mechanism. ’ In Uganda, chicken farming and the planting of Moringa trees enables poor people to access the market. Caritas Switzerland and the local partners conduct local training sessions on market and business promotion through processing, packaging, storage and marketing. Partly, Caritas Switzerland also cooperates with micro-
finance institutions to enable poor people to access microcredits. Adaptation to climate change: Caritas Switzerland implements projects that promote sustainable water usage and cultivation systems which protect the endangered local ecosystems for the long term – as for example Lac Wegna in Mali, which is in danger of drying out. Other projects aim to strengthen people’s resilience during periods of drought. This includes for example catchment systems for rainwater in rockpool constructions. Adapted cultivation methods using, for instance, drought-resistant seed varieties increase production and improve the plants’ resilience during the dry period. More efficient technologies for cooking increase energy efficiency, reduce pressure on the natural resource of wood, and thus protect the local
In countries south of the Sahara, the soils dry out and vegetation disappears. The cattle herders no longer find food for their herds.
Africa is especially hard hit by climate change The majority of the population in African countries south of the Sahara is affected both by poverty and by the consequences of climate change. During a visit, a village elder in the south of Ethiopia illustrated this fact to us: In 2018, before the drought, his village owned a total of 3,600 animals (goats, camels, cows); after the drought, they only had 200 animals left. A comparison in Switzerland: The value of a house drops in one year from one million Swiss francs to 55,000 francs. The same Ethiopian also told us that during the drought, people had to travel 78 kilometres to collect firewood, without motorised vehicles. That almost corresponds to the distance from Bern to Solothurn and back.
Social and economic integration of the poor It would be an illusion to believe or expect that Caritas could overcome poverty in Africa, or the harmful effects of climate change. The global economic system is creating ever deeper divisions, and the climatic changes caused by the global North are having a huge impact on the countries south of the Sahara. Development cooperation alone cannot overcome these divisions. Instead, the main focus is on the social and economic integration of the poor, and the possibility of humane migration. Franziska Koller Head of the International Cooperation Section
Support for migrants: It would be wrong to believe that people from sub-Saharan Africa predominantly come to Europe, because Africans migrate mostly within the continent. According to figures from the UN refugee agency UNHCR, 18 million people living south of the Sahara migrate regularly. During the same time period, only 0.2 per cent of these people reach Europe. Caritas Switzerland’s migration projects support and promote local organisations who look after migrants in the transit and destination countries. Their basic needs are met, and their rights strengthened. The central focus is on providing information, economic integration, access to mi-
crocredits, participation in value chains with a sustainable use of natural resources, and the expansion of vocational and technical training. Caritas Switzerland also cooperates with governments and international organisations in this endeavour. Where necessary, humanitarian aid and development cooperation are interlinked. caritas.ch/afrika
8 9 International Cooperation
ecosystem. Thanks to sustainably effective instruments, resources can be protected, and the natural bases of life of the local population preserved.
Thanks to their chicken farm, Augustine and his wife Lilian can send their children to school.
Caritas helps the women in Chad to produce shea butter professionally.
Augustine vaccinates chickens
Marie produces shea butter
In Uganda, poor farming families suffer from the consequences of the civil war and the irregular rainfall due to global warming. Augustine Ejiet and his wife Lilian Ariokot, too, experienced times of hunger. In a Caritas project, they have learned about sustainable and climate-resistant cultivation methods. Thanks to raising chickens and targeted marketing, they generate an additional income and can send their children to school. Augustine is also responsible for vaccinating all the chickens in the village, so that noticeably fewer animals are now lost due to disease.
In southern Chad, in the Sarh region, women are shaping their own future. Marie Bamounmanan is a widow. She has joined with other women to form a cooperative which produces shea butter. With the help of Caritas, they were able to professionalise this traditional work. Production has soared, so that Marie can provide for her family. ‘We women are now treated with more respect’, she says. ‘I feel I’m taken seriously.’
Development Policy Almanac 2020 Six of the ten fastest-growing economies in 2018 were in Africa. At the same time, more than half of the people experiencing extreme poverty live there. The title of the current issue of the Development Policy Almanac is ‘Africa between progress and poverty’ and it focuses on sub-Saharan Africa. The volume examines the opportunities and risks of economic growth – new forms of cooperation and growth do not necessarily benefit the poor. Another focus is on developments such as urbanisation, demographic trends as well as migration within the continent, which for many means securing a livelihood (available in German and French). shop.caritas.ch
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Early learning for children
Many families in Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot afford the fees to send their children to nursery school. That is why only 15 per cent of children get a pre-school education. Yet it is vital for the child’s later development. Caritas helps marginalised families to register for nursery school and pays part of the school fees and materials. In addition, the parents receive psychosocial support. The children develop their skills through play so that they can later keep up in school. Caritas also improves the training of teachers.
Chad: Poverty and migration flows are a challenge for the country
Caritas Switzerland improves the living conditions of the local population and the situation of the refugees in southern Chad. Chad is among the poorest countries in the world. Two thirds of the population can neither read nor write, only half of the people have access to clean drinking water. The majority of the population have no food security, and health and education are difficult to access. Young people’s
chances of finding regular work are low. Since 2013, the situation in the south has further deteriorated, since around 30,000 displaced people – refugees and returnees – from the Central African Republic have settled there. Tensions between the different groups have increased, the arrival of immigrants has further destabilised the region. Caritas enables people to get access to microcredits, supports the development of value chains and shows how the natural resources can be used sustainably. In addition, it optimises the provision of professional and vocational training. In the longer term, it plans to rehabilitate schools and improve transport facilities. Caritas also strengthens the refugees’ rights and organises a regular exchange of views between the individual migrant groups. Mechanisms are created to prevent and deal with conflicts, and intercultural exchange is promoted. The current project is devised with the financial support of the European Union.
Colombia takes in millions of refugees from Venezuela 10
International Cooperation
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The years of political and humanitarian crisis have turned Venezuela into a poorhouse. Everything is lacking: food, health care, work, security. Millions of Venezuelans are fleeing to the neighbouring countries, above all to Colombia. Caritas is providing aid in Bogotá via its partner organisation ‘FAMIG’. Destitute migrants are
provided with basic essentials for their survival. They are also cared for at the psychosocial level and supported in their traumatic situation as refugees. Many have left all their belongings behind and have to build a new life in Colombia. Caritas helps the refugees with legal advice in their search for work and accommodation.
Prix Caritas: Brazilian organisation honoured
The Prix Caritas was formally presented to Frei Adailson Quintino dos Santos and Lucimar Correa, the director and the coordinator of the Brazilian organisation São Martinho, in a ceremony on 12 June 2019 at the Culture and Convention Centre in Lucerne. For years, the organisation has looked after the street children in Rio de Janeiro. An interdisciplinary team cares for up to 1800 street children a year. They distribute food and hygiene items and invite the chil-
dren and young people into the São Martinho centres, where they receive advice and care. Sports and cultural activities as well as educational opportunities are part of the programme. The children are given new personal, social and vocational prospects – they develop their own personality and learn to claim their rights. caritas.ch/prixcaritas
Natural and climate disasters In 2019, the humanitarian aid section of Caritas Switzerland was primarily active in countries where natural disasters – some of them as a consequence of climate change – left enormous destruction in their wake. More cyclones, floods, heat, fires and droughts occurred. Stepping in where disasters destroy everything Natural disasters cause huge devastation and rob people of their livelihoods. Caritas Switzerland supports people affected across the world with emergency relief. In Indonesia in 2018, thousands of people lost all their worldly goods in the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami. Caritas Switzerland provided food, access to clean drinking water and cared for traumatised children. In 2019, the reconstruction of water supplies and sanitary installations was tackled in five villages. In Mozambique, the families whose houses and fields were under water after the violent cyclone received basic food items and tents. In Bolivia, Caritas supported the people whose survival was threatened by the forest fires in the Amazon. In December, Caritas helped families in Albania who had lost their home in the earthquake. It provided shelters and distributed basic necessities. New concepts with lasting impact In order to support the people affected after disasters efficiently and sustainably, Caritas Switzerland links humanitarian aid – or emergency relief – with development-policy activities. On the one hand, it distributes food items, cooking utensils or tents to provide immediate aid. On the other hand, it implements long-term and sustained measures to strengthen the resilience of those affected. For example, they learn about cultivation methods that conserve resources and permanently improve their living conditions. The outcome of this combination of humanitarian aid and development measures is that those affected are able to respond better to future disasters. Caritas Switzerland has produced a policy paper on this new approach called ‘nexus’.
In 2019
people in greatest need were able to take control again over their own lives thanks to Caritas Switzerland.
13 Humanitarian Aid
180,000
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On the ground in an emergency In the world’s hot spots
The Amazon region, Bolivia In late summer of 2019, large areas of the Amazon rain forest burned as a result of climate change – an ecological as well as a social disaster. 8,000 families were affected in Bolivia. The fire destroyed up to 80 per cent of their harvest. People also lost small animals like pigs and chickens. Those who suffered most were the small farming families and the indigenous population which lives in remote areas. The fires destroyed their livelihoods, in many places the drinking water system collapsed. With local partner organisations, Caritas helped to fight the fire, installed water tanks, distributed protective masks and medicines. Caritas supported the people in rebuilding their livelihoods.
Mozambique Cyclone Idai hit the coast near Beira, Mozambique, with great force on 15 March 2019, triggering massive flooding. Many people lost everything, 600 lost their lives. Half a million hectares of agricultural land were destroyed just before the harvest, a food crisis threatened. Caritas supported 5,000 people in Manica region with food, seeds, agricultural implements and clothes. It put up large tents as temporary accommodation. The supply of foodstuffs remained necessary for months. Caritas is now supporting the people step by step to rebuild their lives and no longer be dependent on aid.
Albania
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In the night of 26 November 2019, the people on Albania’s coast were jolted from their sleep. The earth shook. As dawn came, the scale of the impact was clear. Dozens of deaths, more than 2,000 injured, thousands of people without shelter. The poorest, whose houses were in poor condition and hardly withstood the quake, were particularly hard hit. From the first hours, Caritas Albania provided 1,200 people in two improvised tent cities with meals, water and blankets. In close cooperation with Albanian Caritas, Caritas Switzerland also provided emergency relief. Homeless people were provided with warm, winter-safe shelters, food parcels and hygiene products were distributed, and psychosocial aid was offered. Caritas Switzerland also supports the emergency aid of the Red Cross.
Ethiopia The Ethiopian-Kenyan border region has been in the grip of a severe drought since 2015. Eight million people are dependent on immediate aid, half of them suffer from acute undernourishment. Caritas offers learning and exchange platforms to the cattle herders to secure their income. With vaccinations and other veterinary measures, it prevents the spread of animal diseases, one of the greatest risks for the cattle herders. In the ‘Cash for Work’ programme, the people can earn cash and at the same time rehabilitate their pastures. Caritas also supports new business ideas with a savings and credit cooperative, from which women in particular benefit. However, the main problem is access to clean water. Caritas distributes water treatment products and also repairs the water collection basins on rocky ground called ‘rock catchment’.
Humanitarian Aid
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‘Swiss politics must become globally compatible’ Interview with Marianne Hochuli, Head of the Research and Policy Section and Member of the Executive Board
Mrs. Hochuli, what are the tasks of Caritas Switzerland’s Research and Policy Section? Our specialist areas are social policy, development cooperation and migration. We monitor current developments and take part in the political discussion. We also receive extremely valuable information from the staff in our own projects in Switzerland and abroad. There, we are in direct contact with the people experiencing poverty.
‘ We place a problem in a wider context. ’
Marianne Hochuli, Head of the Research and Policy Section, Caritas Switzerland
How do you process this great volume of information? We produce policy and position papers on burning issues. On the basis of facts and clear arguments, we show where we see the need for changes and structural improvements and put forward concrete and practical solutions. What distinguishes your section specifically? We make a significant contribution to the political positioning of Caritas Switzerland. It is a special characteristic of Caritas’ identity that we not only implement operational projects to combat poverty, but also adopt political positions. We place a problem in a wider context. We explain complex interrelationships in simple language, so that they are comprehensible for the general public. How do you influence political opinion? Our statements on current issues are important bases for Parliament, the administration, other NGOs, the media as well as the general public. Our work is greatly appreciated. We respond to
discussions in Parliament or public debate, but also actively raise relevant themes. Thus, at a media conference in December, Caritas pointed out the increase in child poverty in Switzerland and put forward political solutions. How do you proceed in the work abroad? Thanks to our staff on the ground and our partners, we are aware of the needs of the people experiencing poverty in the global South. At the political level, we ask ourselves the questions: How should Switzerland shape its politics, so they are globally compatible? Do we cooperate with governments that violate human rights? Do we supply arms to warring countries? Do we accept money from despots? Do we trade in raw materials that are extracted in inhumane conditions? We point out the problem areas and demand changes. Do you cooperate with other organisations? Yes, if it helps to achieve our goals. For example, we are represented in the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS) and in the Alliance Sud. We also participate in the various expert committees of the Federal government, for example in the Advisory Group on the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda, whose goal is sustainable development. What are the greatest challenges of the future? Does climate change have an influence on your work? The greatest challenges are poverty and climate change. The climate crisis causes many natural disasters and thus plunges the poorest in Africa south of the Sahara, or in East Asia, into even greater poverty. Wealthy countries have a responsibility. They must reduce their CO2-emissions and support the poorer countries in adapting to the changed climate. We must gear our projects to the climate aspects, otherwise the results achieved so far are in jeopardy.
16 17 Political Influence
Caritas Switzerland combats poverty in Switzerland and abroad with concrete projects on the ground. But it is also involved in political work. With its research and policy work it can influence political processes.
International Relations Development cooperation must be strengthened Development cooperation In June 2019, the Federal Council set out its vision of how it wants to orientate development cooperation in Switzerland in the coming years. In the consultation on the dispatch, Caritas Switzerland underlines that the fight against worldwide poverty and Switzerland’s solidarity must be at the centre. Adjustments to the framework credits are necessary: International cooperation requires considerably greater financial resources. In particular, Switzerland shares a responsibility to provide the poorest in the world with protection against the damage caused by climate change.
Africa strategy Caritas Switzerland sees a fundamental need for action in Switzerland’s Africa policy. Current economic policy towards our neighbouring continent has exploitative features, the migration policy is focused on sealing off borders, development cooperation is underfunded. From Caritas’ point of view, there is a need for a comprehensive Africa strategy that enables a meeting of equals. Must we help everywhere? Development cooperation is being increasingly debated, and also viewed critically, in the media and among the public. Caritas has collected frequently asked questions from the general public and politicians and published short, concise answers in a brochure and on its website (www.caritas.ch/eza).
The quote on the federal government’s policy
The problems and challenges faced by people in the global South must be presented clearly and made accessible to the general public. ’ Hugo Fasel, Director Caritas Switzerland
18 19 Political Influence
‘ Development policy needs debate and communication.
Switzerland’s Social and Migration policy Children and youth need support from politicians
When young people inherit their parents’ debts If parents don’t pay their children’s health insurance premiums, they have to accept liabil-
ity for them from their 18th birthday. This seriously jeopardises young people’s chances to start their adult life. Caritas has long criticised this unfortunate state of affairs. By adopting two motions, Parliament has recognised this problem and is demanding a solution from the Federal Council. No general travel ban for asylum seekers The Federal Council wants to enshrine in law a general ban on journeys home for asylum seekers and temporarily admitted persons. In the consultation, Caritas Switzerland has expressed its criticism about this disproportionate tightening. Already, a journey home is only approved in exceptional cases, for example a serious illness or the death of family members.
20 21 Political Influence
Reform programme against child poverty More than 100,000 children in Switzerland experience poverty. Despite the fact that there has been a rise in poverty in recent years, the Federal Council leaves the fight against poverty to the cantons, which leads to unequal opportunities. In December 2019, Caritas Switzerland showed with the example of four pioneering cantons that effective measures against child poverty exist. Caritas urgently called on the new Parliament to create a legal framework for a Switzerland-wide fight against child poverty.
Poverty and Integration ‘Without the Culture Pass we would be excluded’ Being poor in Switzerland means not only having little money, but also being socially isolated. With the Culture Pass, Caritas Switzerland tries to improve the situation of people experiencing poverty in Switzerland. The Culture Pass enables these people to participate in cultural and social life. ‘The Culture Pass means I can go out and get involved in something’, says Esperança Dibidika. The single mother of two girls aged 8 and 2 lives in Vevey. She has been entitled to the Culture Pass since 2013. ‘Without this pass, we would be excluded from society’, she stresses. But with the Culture Pass, a visit to a cinema or museum becomes a possibility, because the pass means she gets significant price reduction. Ticket prices to the swimming pools in the region are also cheaper with the Culture Pass, and even some shops give discounts. Esperança is glad when she has to spend less money on her daughters’ clothes. If Esperança Dibidika were to register for further training, she could also benefit from a fee reduction via the Culture Pass. The young woman has a Federal diploma as a specialist in domestic science and worked for several years in a retirement home in Montreux. She had to give up her job due to illness, but she would like to pursue further training if her health permits. The Culture Pass makes poverty more bearable The Culture Pass is a personal document that is valid for one year. It makes cultural, sports and educational activities affordable for people experiencing poverty. Holders of a Culture Pass pay reduced entrance fees in museums,
theatres and cinemas, and dance courses are cheaper too. The Culture Pass can also be used to shop in most Caritas Markets. In 2019, no less than 96,000 people in Switzerland took advantage of this offer. 675,000 people in Switzerland live in poverty, and 1.24 million are at risk of drifting into poverty. People are considered poor, for example, if they cannot pay their living costs or health insurance premium with their salary or cannot afford appropriate accommodation or a visit to the dentist. The Culture Pass promotes integration The lack of financial resources has far-reaching consequences. Visiting a museum, reading a newspaper, going to the swimming pool or attending a language class – this is something people with little money often cannot afford. It then leads to social isolation. Many people who live on the poverty line find themselves precisely in this situation. For people experiencing poverty, cultural and social integration is therefore vital. And it is equally vital for the children in these families, because here they find motivation and inspiration in order to actively shape their future. Children and youth below the age of 17 are the largest user group. In 2018, they used 24 per cent of all the Culture Passes issued so far, followed by the 25–55 age group.
Thanks to Caritas’ Culture Pass,
people experiencing poverty can participate in cultural events.
23 Activities in Switzerland
103,089
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For people experiencing poverty, cultural and social integration is vital – the Culture Pass makes it possible.
The Culture Pass boosts self-confidence A comprehensive survey carried out in 2015 about the effect of the Culture Pass showed that 69 per cent of holders of a Culture Pass engaged in activities that they couldn’t have afforded without the pass. 31 per cent of the persons questioned said that the Culture Pass boosts their self-confidence. In addition, 60 per cent were
‘ The Culture Pass enables participation in social life. ’ able to expand their knowledge and 36 per cent made social contacts. This in turn can have a positive influence on entering or re-entering the world of work. The Culture Pass continues to evolve Thirteen Regional Caritas Organisations each operate a regional Cultural Pass office, where they issue the Culture Passes and offer a large choice of regional activities. Jointly with Caritas Switzerland, they operate a national office. The Regional Caritas Organisations have contact with the users of the pass and check the application forms. They also carry out public relations work in their respective regions in order to attract partners providing offers for the
Culture Pass. And their number is high: around 3,500 organisations and companies from the fields of culture, sport and education offer a discount of between 30 and 70 per cent for their respective offers. And the expansion continues. In 2019, more new partnerships were successfully established at the national level. Entitlement to a Culture Pass throughout Switzerland covers children and adults who have a low income. This group includes social welfare recipients, in some regions also those entitled to premium reductions for health insurance. In addition, people who receive supplementary payments to top up their old age pension, are in receipt of a grant, or demonstrably live below the subsistence level can apply for a Culture Pass. The passes can be obtained from a regional Culture Pass office.
New Asylum Procedure: Advice and legal representation
Since March 2019, the accelerated and decentralised asylum procedure has been legally binding throughout Switzerland. With the new procedure, every asylum seeker who on his or her arrival applies for asylum at a federal centre is entitled to advice and legal representation. The asylum seeker is clearly informed about his rights and obligations and about the procedure. A lawyer assists him in the various procedural steps. Guaranteeing a fair procedure The speeding up of all procedures – Dublin procedure, accelerated procedure, extended procedure – is evident. Since the start of the consultations on the Act, Caritas was in favour of the accelerated asylum procedure, but on the absolute precondition of fair and efficient legal representation. A quick decision allows those asylum seekers who receive a positive decision or are temporarily admitted an early integration. But important aspects of the new procedure still have to be improved, in particular access to expert medical advice during the proceedings, as well as support for unaccompanied minors. The challenge is to reconcile the short procedural
Access to expert medical advice must still be improved.
deadlines with an efficient and fair representation of the interests of the people seeking protection. Accelerated procedure: Free legal representation In cooperation with Swiss Refugee Aid (SFH) and the Association of Swiss Jewish Welfare, Caritas Switzerland is taking on the legal representation for the accelerated procedures, free of charge, in the federal centres in Boudry (NE), Chevrilles (FR), Vallorbe (VD) and Geneva airport. In the centre in Glaubenberg (OW) in Central Switzerland, as well as in the centres in Balerna and Novazzano in the Ticino, Caritas Switzerland is cooperating with SOS T icino. Extended procedure: Funding must be secured For the extended procedures in complex cases, free legal representation is only available to a limited degree. Only procedural steps relevant to decision-making are funded. Important issues such as accommodation, health and integration are not considered. The legal advice centres for asylum seekers, such as those Caritas Switzerland manages in Central Switzerland, in Fribourg and the Jura, are therefore more important than ever. However, the legal advice centres need separate, long-term funding which must also be secured via donations.
24 25 Activities in Switzerland
The biggest change in the new Asylum Act is the right of every asylum seeker to counselling and – partly – free legal representation. Caritas Switzerland was mandated by the Federal government to manage these legal advice centres in Western Switzerland, Central Switzerland and the Ticino.
Social Almanac 2020 A future for welfare assistance Caritas Switzerland’s new Social Almanac examines the question of how welfare assistance can be better integrated in our social welfare system. Because of the federalist structure and the lack of compulsion, the need for reform is undisputed. Welfare assistance is much more than a last safety net. Today, it cushions social risks that are not covered by social insurance. The anthology also looks at public discourse, which is often defamatory – catchword: ‘Welfare scrounger’. This has prepared the ground for proposals of drastic cuts to basic needs in some cantons. Reform of welfare assistance is necessary; it must be part of a Swiss poverty strategy and should define appropriate preventative measures (available in German and French). shop.caritas.ch
Expedient support for mountain farmers During the busy summer season, mountain farmer families often need support, especially if they face an emergency due to an unforeseen event. That is why Caritas organises volunteers who support the farming families. They mow the meadows, repair fences, make hay on steep slopes or help with cheese-making. In 2019, Caritas arranged for 828 people to support 120 mountain farmer families. The volunteers worked a total of 1,156 weeks and enabled the farmers to keep their farm going. The total working time corresponds to 25 full-time jobs, almost half of all volunteers are women. Since 2018, Caritas has also organised team actions for companies. In 2019, 16 companies participated in an action with 318 participants.
Refugee women help each other Refugee women with children find it difficult to integrate professionally or socially. Childcare is too expensive. At the same time, there are refugees who would like to take on this childcare as a first step into the world of work. That’s why the coordinators of the McPhee project in Fribourg enable refugee women to get training for professional childcare work. Caritas Neuchâtel has also launched a McPhee project.
Family placements
For more than 20 years, Caritas Switzerland has sought foster families for children and adolescents in difficult situations. There are various reasons for an outside placement. Difficult circumstances at home require a place in a foster family for a longer period. If a short intervention in a crisis is needed, the person is placed with a farming family. In a weekend or holiday placement, the child is offered an additional home where it can build stable relationships. If young people have committed a criminal offence, they will learn new ways of behaving while working on a farm. Caritas supports the foster families, offers further training and a 24-hour on-call service.
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Activities in Switzerland
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youngCaritas: active in tune with the times For more than 15 years, we – the employees of youngCaritas – have been spreading a new spirit at Caritas Switzerland. Together with the young people in Switzerland, we want to promote a world of solidarity and sustainability. At our education events, we have discussions with young people about the challenges we face today and offer them opportunities to get involved. Young people are loud and want to make an impact. In 2019, this became obvious to everyone thanks to the climate demonstrations with large numbers of young people. For the last five years, youngCaritas has focused on the themes of poverty, migration, integration and sustainable development. All topical themes: unsolved challenges for Switzerland, Europe, the world. The world needs the energy of youth We need people who are committed, so that we can solve the local and international challenges. It is often young people who trigger a great change, because they look at the prevailing structures from a different perspective. youngCaritas strengthens young people in their commitment and enhances their ability to act. For example, in the last year, several dozen volunteers have become involved in the area of
migration – with activities in asylum centres, with public and multicultural cooking days, or in the leadership team of the inter-cultural summer camp. In this one-week summer camp, 40 young Swiss people and young people from the asylum community experience an unforgettable week together. With the ‘fair camp’ project, scout and Jubla camp leader are active in promoting more sustainability in the camps. A group of volunteers has also held a number of awareness-raising activities on the theme of poverty. A strong school sector – an enlightened society Only those who understand the context can find meaningful solutions. That’s why, in 2019, youngCaritas paid more than thirty visits to different secondary schools in German-speaking Switzerland and gave the students a closer insight into its themes. We will further expand this sector in 2020. The Caritas youth section exists not only at Caritas Switzerland, but also at Caritas Zurich. The goal is clear: we want to establish ourselves throughout Switzerland and work with young people to make the world a fairer place. We can only benefit from the ideas and the motivation of young people.
Supporting people affected by poverty Cooperation with the Regional Caritas Organisations
Operation ‘zéro chômeur’ (zero unemployed) Switzerland dreams the dream of full employment. A large proportion of people seeking work remain invisible. The regional Caritas offices in French-speaking Switzerland have documented the reality of the long-term unemployed – more than 10,000 – in French-speaking Switzerland. In 2019, they published the dossier ‘Unemployment in Switzerland, four truths as challenge’ (in French). Caritas proposed various innovative solutions.
Basel Aargau Jura
Solothurn Lucerne Neuchâtel
Bern
Fribourg
Vaud
Geneva
Zurich
Valais
A shelter for the homeless Caritas Geneva was one of the eight founder members of ‘CAUSE’, an association of organisations who support people facing a very precarious existence. In April 2019, ‘CAUSE’ erected hundreds of tents in the centre of Geneva in order to make the desperate need of the homeless visible. The ‘CARÉ’, a meeting centre run by Caritas, also opened its doors at night. More than 150 people came. ‘CAUSE’ then organised an overnight stay in six locations. Among the founder members are, apart from Caritas Geneva, the Salvation Army, Le Bateau, CARÉ, CSP, Espace solidaire des Pâquis, La Roseraie and Première Ligne.
Thurgau
Discussion group in Thurgau The new discussion group is an informal service for people affected by poverty in the canton Thurgau. It offers a chance to exchange views on themes and questions ‘all around poverty’ and is supported by professionals. This gives those attending the group an opportunity to meet people in the same situation and to have conversations with them. They feel less isolated and talk about the subject of ‘poverty’, which is normally taboo.
St. GallenAppenzell
Grisons
The Caritas Organisations in Switzerland work to support people experiencing poverty. Among those affected are many who do not receive any state support despite the fact that they are entitled to it. According to a study on welfare assistance in the Canton of Bern, this applies to every fourth person, i.e. they are not in receipt of welfare assistance even though they would be entitled to it. A study for the canton of Geneva shows the reasons for non-receipt. Among other things, the people affected want to avoid being stigmatised. Or they don’t understand the system and are not sure whether they are entitled to payments. Others fear that they will lose their residence permit. One person described the situation as follows: ‘The decision to go to the social welfare office is terrible and demands a lot of will-power. It is a tearful, shameful time. One only does it if there is no other way. First I asked family and friends for help. Only when I could no longer pay the rent and the fridge was empty did I take that step.’ The advisers of the Regional Caritas Organisations are regularly confronted with such people. They inform them about their fundamental right to secure their basic needs and advise them on how to exercise their rights.
Ticino Online help in 7 languages The new online help of Caritas Aargau gives answers to the most frequently asked questions in the social sphere. The concept behind it is remarkably simple. The questions that their church-based social advice services are asked most frequently are bundled by topic and are answered in seven languages. The questions relate to work, social assistance, health insurance, old-age insurance or help in an emergency.
Figures about the Regional Caritas Organisations 1,144 4,600 28,335 188
Employees Volunteers Hours voluntary work Training places
28 29 Activities in Switzerland
Welfare assistance is frequently not received
Caritas in figures Sources of Caritas income
10.8 %
Private donations / income and p ublic-sector contributions
Own revenue
3.3 %
24.2 % Direct donations
Swiss Solidarity
53 %
10.4 %
Private donations / income
Other organisations
4.5 %
3.5 %
Federal gvt. other contributions
International Caritas network
47 % Public-sector contributions
13.7 % SDC
0.8 % Migration and Passport Office Liechtenstein
28.8 % Cantons and communes
Thanks to financing alliances with Swiss Solidarity, the federal government and other partner organisations in Switzerland and abroad, Caritas is able to triple the effect of each franc donated to it.
Allocation of income
Figures in conformity with Zewo guidelines
36.3 %
90.3 %
International Cooperation
Projects
47.1 % Projects Switzerland
4.4 %
Administrative expenses
5.3 % Fundraising and marketing expenses
4.0 % Direct administrative project support
0.8 %
Research and other project contributions
5.3 % Fundraising and marketing
2.1 %
4.4 %
Information and communication
Administrative expenses
These figures were collected in accordance with the rules of Swiss GAAP FER 21 and the guidelines of the Zewo Foundation for determining administrative expenses of non-profit organisations.
The detailed financial report is available on our Website at www.caritas.ch/annual-report
Balance sheet as at 31 December 2019
2019
2018
Assets
CHF
CHF
Cash
23,551,355
27,005,271
Short-term assets with stock market price
35,565,413
32,109,714
Receivables
11,893,151
4,604,519
263,887
246,797
30
4,073,687
2,045,663
31
Fixed assets
22,400,274
22,578,913
Total assets
97,747,767
88,590,877
CHF
CHF
Caritas in figures
Short-term liabilities
5,282,204
4,682,885
Long-term liabilities
4,065,192
5,387,452
Fund capital (restricted funds)
70,044,621
62,518,138
Organisation capital
18,355,750
16,002,402
Total liabilities and equity
97,747,767
88,590,877
Statement of operations 2019
2019
2018
Operating income and operating performance
CHF
CHF
Donations
27,814,091
30,568,204
Contributions from third parties
20,787,104
20,621,197
Total income from donations and private contributions
48,601,195
51,189,401
Contributions from public authorities
54,114,997
44,737,543
Net sales from goods and services
12,413,389
11,863,978
Total operating income
115,129,581
107,790,922
International cooperation
40,256,737
48,523,115
Projects Switzerland
52,274,251
46,504,647
845,658
521,130
Information and communication (publishing and education)
2,392,223
2,422,723
Direct administrative project support (evaluation, IT, rents etc.)
4,446,591
4,345,697
100,215,460
102,317,312
Fundraising and marketing expenses
5,881,343
6,176,062
Administrative expenses
4,903,651
4,374,395
10,784,994
10,550,457
111,000,454
112,867,769
4,129,127
– 5,076,847
4,864,251
– 2,141,407
–199,595
– 37,722
8,793,783
– 7,255,976
–6,440,435
3,667, 962
2,353,348
– 3,588,014
Inventories Prepayments and accrued income
Liabilities
Research and policy and other project contributions
Total project expenses
Total fundraising, marketing and administrative expenses Total operating expenses Operating result (corresponds to EBIT) Financial and extraordinary result Financial income (before change in value fluctuation fund) Extraordinary or one-off income or income for other accounting periods Annual result before fund and capital movements Change in fund capital (– = increase / + = decrease) Annual result before capital movements
Boards Organs
Mariangela Wallimann-Bornatico
Mario Slongo
Robert Moser
Max Elmiger
Teres Graf
Elisabeth Baume-Schneider
Gisèle Girgis-Musy
Erwin Tanner
Steering Committee Steering Board President: Mariangela Wallimann-Bornatico, lic. iur., former General Secretary of the Federal Assembly, Wabern BE Vice President: Robert Moser, Deacon, Steg VS Max Elmiger, lic. theol., Director Caritas Zurich, Zurich Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Director EESP Lausanne, Les Breuleux JU Mario Slongo, Dr. Dr. hc. Chemist/Meteorologist, Tafers FR Teres Graf, Manager COMUNDO, Lucerne (until 31 May 2019) Gisèle Girgis-Musy, lic. oec., Leutwil AG Erwin Tanner, Dr. iur. / lic. theol., General Secretary Swiss Conference of Catholic Bishops (SBK), Fribourg
Additional Steering Committee Members Claudia Babst, Director Caritas Bern, Bern (until 11 September 2019) // Dalia Schipper, Director Caritas Bern ad interim (from 12 September 2019) // Andreas Brun-Federer, lic. theol., Responsible for Pastoral Care, Diocese Basel, Solothurn (from 1 June 2019) // Monika Elmiger, Manager Jungwacht/Blauring Switzerland, Lucerne) // Marco Fantoni, Director Caritas Ticino, Pregassona (Lugano) // Kurt Grüter, former Director Swiss Federal Audit Office, Bern (until 31 May 2019) // Bruno Gut-Fuchs, Deacon, church leader parish St. Nikolaus, Hombrechtikon ZH) // Jean-Claude Huot, lic. ès. lettres, Cossonay VD) // P. Alois Kurmann, lic. theol., former Vice-rector Monastery Einsiedeln, Einsiedeln SZ) // Lucia Lindegger, lic. iur., Adligenswil LU) // Dr. Claudius Luterbacher, Dr. theol., chancellor and economist of the diocese of St. Gallen, St. Gallen) // Jean-Noël Maillard, Director Caritas Jura, Delémont) // Monika Otter, MAS Ethics FHNW, Widen AG) // Hubert Péquignot, Director Caritas Neuenburg, Neuenburg) // Dr. Hans-Jörg Ruppen, Mathematician ETH, Dr. ès sciences and Titular- as well as Honorary Professor EPFL Lausanne, Gampel VS (from 1 June 2019) // Dr. Benno Schnüriger, former President Synodical Council Roman Cath. Body Canton ZH, Zurich) // Joseph Thali-Kernen, member of the Roman Cath. State Ecumenical Council BL and emerit. Church leader, Allschwil BL) // Iris Utz-Huwiler, President and manager of Accordeos Foundation, Meggen LU
32
Boards
33
Hugo Fasel
Franziska Koller
Elisabeth Karagiannis
Marianne Hochuli
Chantal Cornaz
Head Office Caritas Switzerland Executive Board Director: Hugo Fasel, lic. rer. pol. International Cooperation: Hugo Fasel, lic. rer. pol. (ad interim until 31 October 2019) Dr. Franziska Koller (from 1 November 2019) Research and Policy: Marianne Hochuli, lic. phil. Projects Switzerland: Bruno Bertschy, Association Manager VMI Communication and Marketing: Elisabeth Karagiannis, lic. phil. Human Resources: Chantal Cornaz, lic. phil. Finance and Administration: Hans Krummenacher, Business Economist. cert; Public Accountant
About Caritas Switzerland Caritas Switzerland is an independent association with its Head Office in Lucerne. The organisation helps people in need in Switzerland and world-wide in around 20 countries. Together with the Regional Caritas Organisations, Caritas Switzerland provides practical help where people in wealthy Switzerland are affected by poverty. Globally, Caritas provides emergency relief in disasters, helps with reconstruction, and is involved in development cooperation. Caritas Switzerland is a member of the international Caritas network. This comprises organisations in 165 countries throughout the world.
Bruno Bertschy
Hans Krummenacher
Martin Flügel
Delegate of the Executive Board Dr. Martin Flügel, Head of Policy and Public Affairs Business Audit Committee President: Alois Bissig, Notary and Lawyer, Ennetbürgen NW Ursula Muther-Guntern, President Caritas Bern, Orpund BE Markus Köferli, dipl. theol., Head of special spiritual welfare Synodical Council Zurich, Zurich Kurt Grüter, former Director Federal Audit Office, Bern (from 1 June 2019) Statutory Auditors BDO AG, Lucerne
At the end of 2019, Caritas Switzerland had 412 employees. This corresponds to 322 full-time equivalent posts. 261 persons, or 63 per cent of employees are women, 65 per cent of all employees work part-time. Around 200 staff work on hourly pay, for example as interpreters or at Caritas Care in 24-hour care work. In addition, more than 280 locally employed staff work for Caritas Switzerland in project countries.
Strong partnerships From business, politics and society
Companies A1 Elektro AG // ALDI SUISSE AG // BDO AG // Bank CIC (Schweiz) AG // Georg Fischer AG // Gonser AG // Migros Genossenschaftsbund // Payot SA // QoQa Services SA // Twint AG
Foundations Glückskette // Christa Foundation // Fondation Philantropique de la Famille Sandoz
// Leopold Bachmann Stiftung // Hilti Foundation // MIHI Foundation // Ursula Zindel-Hilti Stiftung // Medicor Foundation // Rütli Stiftung // Solaqua Stiftung // St. Anna Stiftung der St. Anna Schwestern // Stiftung Accentus // Stiftung Mercator Schweiz // Stiftung Wegweiser
Federal government
Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (DEZA) // Bundesamt für Gesundheit // Staatssekretariat für Migration // Bundesamt für Kultur (BAK)
Cantons, cities, municipalities Canton de
Fribourg // Canton de Genève // Canton du Valais // Société de la Loterie de la Suisse Romande // Stadt Sion // Kanton Aargau // Kanton Luzern // Kanton St. Gallen // Stadt Bern // Stadt Zürich // Ville de Carouge
Universities Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz // Berner Fachhochschule für Agrar-,
Forst- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften (HAFL) // ETH Zürich Zentrum für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (NADEL) // Schweizerisches Tropen- und Public Health-Institut // Pädagogische Hochschule Zug Institut für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in Bildungsfragen
Church Institutions
Association Fraternelle Romande // Benediktinerkloster Mariastein // Communauté des Religieuses Trinitaires // Röm.-kath. Gesamtkirchgemeinde Bern und Umgebung // Katholische Kirche im Kanton Zürich // Kloster Heiligkreuz // Kloster St. Peter und Paul // Röm.-kath. Landeskirche Basel-Landschaft // Röm.-kath. Landeskirche des Kantons Luzern // Röm.-kath. Zentralkonferenz Zürich // Kath. Kirchgemeinde Luzern // Kath. Konfessionsteil des Kantons St. Gallen // Provinzialat der Schweizer Kapuziner Bilateral
and multilateral donors Agence France de Développement
(AFD) // Amt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten Liechtenstein (AAA) // Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (EuropeAid) // European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) // European Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) // United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) // Hochkommissariat für Flüchtlinge der Uno (UNHCR) // U.S. Department of State (USDOS) // Caritas Austria // Caritas France // Caritas Liechtenstein // Caritas Luxembourg // Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) // Cordaid // Austrian Development Agency (ADA)
They are the partners who make our work on behalf of disadvantaged people possible. Our warmest thanks!
‘ As a scout leader, I make sus-
Timo Schuster Country Executive Aldi Switzerland
‘ Families on the
poverty line often don’t have enough money for a public transport season ticket, a visit to the dentist or a hobby. We gladly support the important work of Caritas to enable those affected to participate in social life.’
Mischa Kaspar Scout leader, Scouts Olten
Ricus Jacometti Project Officer Medicor Foundation, Liechtenstein
‘ Caritas Switzerland is
a longstanding partner of the Medicor Foundation. We value the focused direction of the projects supported by us. The professional project support on the ground and at the head office in Lucerne convinces us and strengthens our partnership.’
Imprint Cover photo:
Fabian Biasio, Uganda
Pictures: Andre Catueira, Bernhard Ackermann, Caritas Albania, Carlos Sanchez, Fabian Biasio, Fabienne Wheeler Kroumi, Franca Pedrazzetti, Ghislaine Heger, Holger Vieth, Keystone/Photoshot/AE, Lisa Fry, Maheder Haileselassie Tadese, Nique Nager, Noemi Grossen, Pia Zanetti, Priska Ketterer, Reto Albertalli, Tabea Vogel Editors: Lisa Fry, Stefan Gribi, Vérène Morisod Simonazzi, Fabrice Boulé, Elisabeth Karagiannis Translation:
Barbara König
Graphic Design: Urban Fischer
Caritas Schweiz Communication and Marketing Adligenswilerstrasse 15 P.O. Box CH-6002 Lucerne Telephone: +41 41 419 22 22 Fax: +41 41 419 24 24 E-Mail: info@caritas.ch Post Office account: 60-7000-4 You can find detailed information about current projects on Caritas Switzerland’s Website: www.caritas.ch
34 35 Strong partnerships
tainability a living experience and enable the children and young people to contribute to a fair and environmentally-friendly future. Caritas’ project ‘fair camp’ helps me in this.’
Doing the right thing
Caritas Switzerland Adligenswilerstrasse 15 P. O. Box CH-6002 Lucerne
Telephone: +41 41 419 22 22 Fax: +41 41 419 24 24 E-mail: info@caritas.ch
Website: www.caritas.ch Post Office account: 60-7000-4 IBAN: CH69 0900 0000 6000 7000 4
Quality management system ISO 9001, Reg. no.14075 NPO-Label, Reg. no. 22116