Irène M. Staehelin-Schindler A life committed to justice and equality

Irène M. Staehelin-Schindler (1945-2019) was an advocate for human rights, women’s rights, and the preservation of indigenous cultures. Throughout her life, she worked to understand and address global inequalities, achieve justice, and protect marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Born with a passion for knowledge, Irène studied art history and philosophy at the University of Zurich before training as a photographer. In the 1990s, her photography work took her to South Africa, where she documented ancient San rock paintings. Witnessing the discrimination faced by the San people, she was moved to act. At the age of 50, she pursued a Master’s in Anthropology and a Graduate Certificate in African Studies at Boston University to better understand and support indigenous communities. She also became member of the board of Cultural Survival (www.culturalsurvival.org).

Her work led to the creation of !Khwa ttu (khwattu.org) in 1999, where north of Cape Town a cultural and training centre was built. !Khwa ttu is dedicated to empowering the San community and preserving their heritage. Over two decades, Irène M. Staehelin-Schindler collaborated with San leaders and international experts, carefully building the centre into a beacon of cultural revival, education, and sustainable development.

Irène M. Staehelin-Schindler was also a tireless advocate for gender equality. Through her anthropological research, she explored the religious and social roots of gender disparities, particularly the systemic oppression of women. This led her to support the creation of a research centre at the University of Zurich, focused on the evolutionary cultural development and gender roles as well as the role of religions in the context of discrimination and violence against women.

Her lifelong dedication to justice extended to her work with Human Rights Watch, where she served on its Zurich Committee. She supported causes such as ending human rights abuses by autocratic oppressive governments, championing women’s rights and the protection of vulnerable communities. She also supported NGOs assisting refugees and survivors of gender-based violence in Switzerland and beyond.

She was married to Dr. Jenö C. A. Staehelin, a former Swiss diplomat and UN ambassador. Well aware of her privileged industrial family background, she took it as her responsibility, to forge her own path in support of those in need. Her humility, deep empathy, and determination to create change defined her life’s work. Even as she battled illness, she remained engaged, celebrating the opening of a new museum pavilion at !Khwa ttu in 2018.

Irène M. Staehelin-Schindler passed away on 9 February 2019, leaving behind a powerful legacy of justice, empowerment, and equality. Her vision of equality, dignity, and humanity lives on through the Irene M. Staehelin Foundation, Khwa ttu, and the University of Zurich’s Centre for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Study of Religion and Women in Society.