KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz representatives at the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg (Photo: Council of Europe)
A Swiss initiative led by older women to hold public authorities accountable for inadequate climate action has won the Council of Europe’s 2026 Democracy Innovation Award.
In a press statement, Council of Europe says that KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz initiative received the award on Tuesday at the closing session of the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, recognising its use of collective mobilisation, scientific evidence, public advocacy and legal action to demand stronger climate policies.
The statement adds that the group brought together older women in Switzerland to challenge what they considered insufficient government action on climate change. Its campaign eventually reached the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which ruled in April 2024 that Switzerland had violated its human rights obligations by failing to take sufficient action to protect people from the effects of climate change.
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The initiative demonstrated how citizens can use democratic institutions and legal mechanisms to seek accountability from governments. Its work involved association members, individual applicants, lawyers, scientists, Greenpeace Switzerland and other civil society partners.
Three initiatives were shortlisted for the award from 21 ideas discussed during the forum. The other finalists were Creating Change from the United Kingdom, which focused on social justice and public services, and Lab Citoyen from Morocco, which explored ways to strengthen civic engagement through digital tools.
The World Forum for Democracy brought together 1,400 participants from 60 countries to discuss ways of strengthening democratic participation and institutions. The annual forum provides a platform for policymakers, civil society representatives, academics and activists to exchange ideas on challenges facing democratic systems.
“One of the biggest threats to democracy today is that many people feel that their voice makes no difference. But all of your initiatives show that when people get involved, they can bring about real change in their communities,” says Tanja Gonggrijp, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
