Marie-Josèphe Lachat grew up in a small village in the Jura region with four brothers. Her parents, who supported her, shaped her life. Her childhood was marked by a mixture of loneliness and the awareness of being privileged. From an early age, she saw it as her responsibility to help others. In particular, the death of her brother when she was twelve challenged her to grow up and to understand the value of life and the urgency of action.
This drastic loss motivated her to change the world. Already as a teenager, she became involved in fighting inequality. Later, her sociology studies at the nearby University of Neuchâtel deepened this commitment.
A seminar on the history of women’s labor especially sparked her interest in gender inequality, which had strongly influenced her own life.
After completing her studies, she became involved in the future new canton, including through a study on existing social services. She then became interested in the implementation of the constitutional article calling for the creation of a “Bureau de la condition féminine” (BCF) by completing an internship at the delegated Ministry for Women’s Affairs in Paris. The Jura constitution assigned the BCF, among other things, the following tasks: “Improvement of the status of women; promotion of women’s access to all levels of responsibility; elimination of the discrimination to which they may be exposed.” (Art. 44).
In 1979, she was appointed head of the BCF.
Since there were no legal provisions apart from the constitutional principles, she initially focused on raising awareness and consciousness by denouncing inequalities in the education sector first, as she was convinced that equality can only be achieved if girls and boys are given the same educational opportunities. Her work was met not only with approval but also with resistance. However, she remained persistent and implemented her ideas with great dedication.
Marie-Josèphe Lachat used her privileged life to stand up for social justice and women’s rights. Her story is an example of the tireless commitment of a woman who used her own experiences and privileges to pave the way for a fairer society.