Parliament wants to improve help for victims of coercive measures
Published: Wednesday, Sep 25th 2024, 09:50
العودة إلى البث المباشر
Assistance for victims of coercive measures in Switzerland is to be improved. If, in addition to federal solidarity contributions, these people also receive contributions from the cantons or communes, the receipt of these funds should not lead to a reduction in any bridging or supplementary benefits in future.
Following the National Council, the Council of States also unanimously approved a corresponding amendment to the Act on the Reappraisal of Forced Measures and Placements (AFZFG) on Wednesday. In future, the amendment will stipulate that the same applies to cantonal or communal solidarity contributions as to federal contributions: They have the character of compensation.
"The reappraisal of coercive measures and forced placements has rightly received a lot of attention in recent years," said Daniel Jositsch (SP/ZH) on behalf of the Legal Affairs Committee (RK-S). There was a gap in the law. This must now be closed.
The Federal Council applied for approval of the amendment to the law, stating that these funds would primarily be available to meet special personal needs. The solidarity contribution is therefore not subject to income tax, cannot be seized and may not be taken into account when calculating social welfare, supplementary and bridging benefits for older unemployed people.
The draft law is based on a parliamentary initiative by the National Council's Legal Affairs Committee (RK-N). In March 2023, the Zurich city parliament decided to pay a separate solidarity contribution to victims of compulsory welfare measures and out-of-home placements. The city government had assumed that 320 people were eligible.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish