Strong women

We are offering you the unique opportunity to benefit from the experiences and successes of committed women and men. Whether it is Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Nadia Murad, theatre director Pınar Karabulut, entrepreneur, investor and author Tijen Onaran or Integration Commissioner Reem Alabali-Radovan, they show what is possible as part of the deutschland.de Women Shaping Our Future campaign.

Role models

Käthe Kollwitz mit Selbstbildniss (vermutlich von 1940)

German culture

Art

Käthe Kollwitz – a dauntless woman and major artist

Her works are of timeless significance and exceptional artistic quality. Käthe Kollwitz campaigned against war and poverty and for the rights of women.

Contemporary history White Rose Sophie Scholl: Resistance icon

Marlene Dietrich, Hollywood-Star aus Deutschland

A portrait Famous Germans Marlene Dietrich - world star, style icon, myth

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Anne Frank

Anne Frank and her diary: writing for eternity

Anne Frank died in a concentration camp aged 15. Her diary is one of the most important documents which bear witness to Nazi atrocities.

Music

Legendary female composer

Clara Schumann – art is the air I breathe

She was a pianist, composer, piano teacher, superstar – and she is the most famous woman in music history. A portrait to mark the 205th anniversary of her birth

Ihre Gedanken sind bis heute aktuell: Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)

A portrait

Philosophy

A life in exile: Hannah Arendt and her escape from evil

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential political theorists. Her works reveal how important it is to stand up for democracy and human rights.

Gemeinsam mit Sam Smith räumt Kim Petras bei den Grammys ab.

Strong women

Role model for the trans community

From Uckerath to Los Angeles

Pop singer Kim Petras comes from the Rhineland. Her historic success in the Grammys is a symbol of diversity and inclusion in the music industry.

Democracy Equality The mothers of the Basic Law

Carolin Karnuth als Claire Waldoff in der Instagram-Serie des @goetheinstitut

Strong women International Women’s Day Berlin icon of the queer scene

Friederike Otto – Klimaforscherin in London.

The weather detective

Understanding climate change and reducing inequality – Friederike Otto explains to the world how extreme weather events come about.

Iris Braun möchte ein Vorbild für Sozialunternehmertum sein.

Successful, innovative, female

They want their ideas to revolutionise the business world: we present five female entrepreneurs from Germany.

Vincent-Immanuel Herr und Martin Speer mobilisieren Männer für Feminismus.

Feminism from a male perspective

Two HeforShe ambassadors for UN Women explain how men can be part of the solution in the battle for gender equality.

Pınar Karabulut engagiert sich für Vielfalt am Theater.

Diversity in the theatre

Theatre director Pınar Karabulut explains why the cultural sector needs to become more female and more diverse, and how this can be achieved.

Für buntere Startups: Unternehmerin Tijen Onaran

Empowering women in business

She brings diversity to the German business founders’ scene: Tijen Onaran is entrepreneur, investor and author.

“These issues have accompanied me all my life”

Immigration as a responsibility of government – Integration Commissioner Reem Alabali-Radovan discusses challenges and experiences.

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The future of foreign policy

The feminist and activist Kristina Lunz wants to rethink foreign policy with a view to making the world a more feminist, fairer and safer place.

Empowering women worldwide

She only just survived the terror of the IS: Nobel Prize winner Nadia Murad explains how important equality of women worldwide is to secure peace.

Sawsan-Chebli-Gleichberechtigung-Frauentag

Raising questions

Berlin is European Volunteering Capital 2021: An interview with Sawsan Chebli, Berlin’s state secretary for active citizenship

Facts and figures

Women in Germany

The women’s employment rate, the gender pay gap, women’s quotas, life expectancy and representation in government – discover everything you need to know about women in Germany. Here are three facts to start you off: they constitute the majority of the population, live longer than men – and are more highly educated.

Quick facts

43 million women live in Germany – one million more than men

83.4 years is the life expectancy of women in Germany.

77.2 percent of women aged between 20 and 64 work.

50 percent of university graduates in Germany are female

1.35 children is the statistical average for women in Germany.

Wie viele Frauen leben, arbeiten und regieren in Deutschland?

How women live and work in Germany

Gleichberechtigung im Arbeitsleben – ein Ziel der Bundesregierung.

Strong women Equality Equal rights but everyday life often falls short

Commitment

Working for greater equality

Together with Alice Schwarzer, probably the best known feminist in Germany, we are looking for answers to the following questions: where does Germany stand when it comes to emancipation? What does feminism mean today? Is the COVID-19 crisis again taking us back to a more traditional distribution of roles and duties – or could the crisis be an opportunity?

Alice Schwarzer, Deutschlands bekannteste Frauenrechtlerin

“Women must become more demanding”

Alice Schwarzer is the face of German feminism. In our interview she talks about equality, corona and Instagram.

In addition to answers, however, gender equality also needs commitment. These men and women campaign for greater equality in Germany.

International Women’s Day Women's rights Equality heroes

International Women’s Day Gender-neutral language Language practice is often gender-neutral

Junge Politikerinnen möchte Frauen in der Politik fördern.

Young women shape politics

Three female politicians in Germany’s government coalition explain how they intend to increase the participation of women in politics.

Standing up for equal rights

Achieving gender equality takes commitment. These three men and women stand up for equality – online and offline.

Robert Franken fordert mehr männliche Solidarität mit Frauen.

“Radical solidarity from men”

How feminist do men need to be? Robert Franken, co-founder of the “Male Feminists Europe” platform, explains.

Teamarbeit im Labor: Es geht nur gemeinsam.

Working together for equality

Here you can find out who actively supports equal opportunity for women in German research.

Gabriele Wenner, Leiterin des Frankfurter Frauenreferats

“300 years until we achieve genuine equality”

Women and men are often treated unequally at work. We discussed the subject with an equal opportunities officer.

Aminata Belli: die Stimme erheben gegen Alltagsrassismus

Courage

Combating racism

Active against racism

Presenting three women who are involved in politics and society against discrimination.

Women’s rights

Empowering women worldwide

Germany supports projects worldwide that involve women in peace processes, strengthen their rights, build links between them and enable equality between women and men.

Protecting the human rights of women and realising their legal, economic and cultural equality are major tasks of German foreign policy. Germany campaigns to maintain and strengthen women’s rights not only by bilateral means but also within the framework of international organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations.

Gesa Bräutigam, Sonderbotschafterin für Feministische Außenpolitik

Feminist foreign policy Minority rights “Feminist foreign policy demands that we take the long view”

Feminist foreign policy Feminist foreign policy: Strengthening equality

Leonie Stamm, Research Fellow bei der DGAP

Feminist foreign policy

Science

“New value-based alliances”

Feminist foreign policy: in an interview, Leonie Stamm of the German Council on Foreign Relations explains the concept and its significance.

Svenja Schulze (l.) und Annalena Baerbock

Feminist foreign policy

Development policy

Two ministries, one shared goal

German feminist foreign and development policy go hand in hand: Equality and participation are their goals.

Monika Hauser, Gründerin von medica mondiale

Feminist foreign policy

Sexualised violence

Help for women affected by armed conflict

For more than 30 years, she has been committed to helping women who have experienced sexualised violence in war zones: an interview with Monika Hauser.

Strong women

Standing up for equality

“A Revolution of Love”

Emilia Roig is an expert on diversity, inclusion and anti-discrimination. She talks about what drives her campaigns.

Hilfsangebote schaffen Zukunftsperspektiven im Projekt „Back to life

International Women’s Day

Women’s Rights

Safe spaces for women in Iraq

Háwar.help is an aid organisation which gives women in Iraq support and prospects for the future through their Back to Life project.

International Women’s Day

Women's rights

“It is essentially a question of human rights”

Women’s global fight for self-determination – an interview with Beate Rudolf, director of the German Institute for Human Rights.

2020 eröffnete Sibel Kekilli das Casa Respeita as Mina.

A colourful house for women

Fighting violence against women: The actress Sibel Kekilli is an international champion of women’s rights.

Frauen sollen an Friedensprozessen beteiligt werden.

Women as mediators

Germany supports projects worldwide that engage women in peace processes and strengthen their rights. Here are three examples.

Women for peace

How women contribute to resolving conflicts – and how Germany supports them in their efforts. We present four questions and answers.

Successful women

Women in politics, business and research

Women are increasingly assuming leadership positions in German politics, business and research. More women are working, the proportion of women on supervisory boards has risen, the number of women in STEM and tech fields has increased and parents are better able to reconcile having a family and a career, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. We introduce you to outstanding female researchers, politicians and entrepreneurs who have led by example.