FEMNET - Nachrichten FEMNET-Nachrichten We call for an Equality Committee for Bonn ‘Men and women are equal.’ This is what Article 3 of the Basic Law states – and furthermore: ‘The state promotes the effective enforcement of equal rights for women and men and works towards the elimination of existing disadvantages.’ Is this the case in Germany? No. Gender equality remains a project and has not yet been achieved. Bonn is particularly behind. According to the NRW State Equality Act, municipalities have the task of promoting equality – in the administration as well as in urban society. In Bonn, the cradle of Article 3, this requirement has so far been inadequately implemented: According to the city's mission statement, the equality body acts primarily internally – there is no bridge to the equality concerns of urban society. FEMNET supports the Alliance for Feminist Representation and calls for this gap to be closed. Gender issues need to become visible in the upcoming local election campaign. For this purpose, the Alliance has developed electoral test blocks with equality-relevant questions that are sent to parties and candidates. Our central demand: The establishment of an Equality Committee. Such a committee means: Equality policy is given institutional weight. It can ensure that local budgets are distributed in a gender-equitable way (gender budgeting) and initiate measures to improve the lives of women and queers, for example against violence or to promote participation in professional and social life. In addition, an Equality Committee gives the city society a vote. Through the participation of knowledgeable citizens, expertise from different areas can be brought in. It can promote and coordinate gender equality projects, as is already the case in Cologne or Oberhausen. It shows: Such a committee acts as a link between council, administration and urban society – and, if it is conceived in the long term, can sustainably improve the lives of women and queers. Bonn has the potential – and should finally use it. Category: FEMNET-Nachrichten back
