Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt Frauenbüro Translation: Soroptimist International Eva Reinhold-Postina Dr. Claudia Sierakowski Aims and Tasks September 2013

Darmstadt has inhabitants, of these are female. The aim of the Darmstadt „Frauenbüro“ is to develop strategies to make womens politics part of everyday politcal life. Five women are employed in the „Frauenbüro“. Together they are sharing 3,75 jobs.

–equal opportunities in employment status –compatibility of family and profession for women and men –prevention of and protection from domestic and sexualized violence –encouragement and protection of feminist infrastructures Aims and tasks Legal regulations –European Law (Treaty of Amsterdam …) –German Federal Constitution, Article 3, Paragraph 2 (correspondingly:) Men and women are equal before the law. The state enforces equal rights for men and women and abolishes existing disadvantages) –§ 4b Hessische Gemeindeordnung (HGO) Hessian local government code und Hessisches Gleichberechtigungsgesetz (HGlG) Hessian Code of Equal Rights

 Aims:  Chance of equal partaking of women and men in the employment market  equal career-opportunities für women and men  equal pay for equal work  equal chances to reach leading positions Aims and Tasks Focus: Equal opportunites in professional life - 1

Aims and Tasks Focus: Equal opportunities in professional life - 2 Examples for action  Education: Girls’Day  Safeguarding of existence: Work group „Frauen und Arbeit“, Symposium „Frauen und Hartz IV“  Women in leading positions: activities, training  Compatibility of professional and family life: alliance for families, audit berufundfamilie (professionandfamily)  Execution Hessisches Gleichberechtigungs- gesetz §§ (Hessian Code for Equal Rights)

Aims and Tasks Focus: Compatibility of profession and family -1 Aims are the equal partaking of women and men in professional and family work and the improvement of compatibility of professional career and family life Demographic change and the resulting lack of qualified employees on the market, as well as financial problems of the social security system, which is based on the solidarity principle, ask for action concerning the conditions of reproduction.

AIms and Tasks Focus: Compatibility of profession and family - 2 Examples for Action  Bündnis für Familie (alliance for families)  Servicepoint „Compatibility of Profession and Family“– family orientated staffing policy in enterprises  family orientated staffing policy, i.e. „success factor family“ in the city council of Darmstadt  Information and field specific meetings on website: willkommen.de

Aims and Tasks Focus: Prevention and protection from violence -1 The Frauenbüro‘s goal is to effectively fight domestic and sexualized violence against women, adolescents and children. Initial situation – Data for Darmstadt  In 2011 Darmstadt Police headquarters recorded 173 delicts of domestic violence, reaching from harassment, assault to violation and illegal restraint.  In the Darmstadt women‘s shelter 75 women and 60 children were seeking shelter in  „Wildwasser“Darmstadt [counseling centre against sexual violence] registered 1373 counsellings.  „Pro Familia“ [counseling centre sexuality] worked with 72 offenders.  At „Kinderschutzbund“ Darmstadt [counseling centre for children and parents] 26,6 % of all callers at the parents-stress-telephone inquired about and were seeking advice concerning physical, psychological and sexual violence and neglect.

Aims and Tasks Focus: Prevention und Protection against violence - 2 Examples for possible actions:  Support and crosslinking of facilities against violence  Coordination of financial contributions from the government  Roadshows to raise awareness of professionals and public  Put advice seeking persons in contact with information and counseling centres  Highlight actual topics like forced prostitution  Distribution of handouts and information leaflets  Commissioning of experts for studies and investigations

Objective and Responsibilities Focus: Infrastructure of female issues Goal: Support offers specialized for females to enhance equality.  Analyze necessities  Develop offers according demand including safeguarding them  Validate financial and political support Examples:  Communication- and Culture-Centre for women  Counseling centres  Support for single mothers returning to job  Women‘s health facilities  Women‘s history in Darmstadt  Hostel for homeless women

Thank you for your patience! We wish you a pleasant stay in Darmstadt!