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Introduction

SWISS MAID: THE UNTOLD STORY OF WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SWITZERLAND'S SUCCESS is introduced by a quote from Goethe, epitomizing women’s role and destiny in serving men, family, and society for centuries. The preface explains how the book SWISS MAID came into existence and what the term “Swiss Maid” entails. The objectives of the book and the methodology of the project are described in detail in order to tell the story about common women’s forgotten or omitted contributions to Switzerland’s success. Traditional Swiss history is women-less; women only gained full suffrage in 1971 and equality in 1996. The Gender Gap is still a reality and discussed widely, also at the World Economic Forum trying to influence corporations, policy makers, and governments. Since the GNP does not entirely reflect the well-being of a country, efforts are made to measure social progress besides economic indicators. For example the "Social Progress Index" aims at including components that are closely related to women’s work and subsistence.

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