Women in focus: Political participation as the key to equality!

Women in focus: Political participation as the key to equality!

In Lauterbach, a new traveling exhibition is bringing a breath of fresh air to discussions about women's rights and political participation. On June 3, 2025, the exhibition “Women in Focus” was ceremoniously opened by class 11 at the Vogelsberg School. In front of around 140 spectators in the break hall, AWO chairwoman Heike Bohl and district administrator Dr. Jens Mischak gave impressive speeches, while Hessian State Secretary Katrin Hechler underlined the urgency of women's quotas in politics. “It is high time for women to become more involved in local politics!” demanded Hechler in her passionate appeal.Oberhessen Live reports.

The traveling exhibition, which is supported by the local initiatives AWO, the Vogelsberg family alliance and the social association VdK, aims to overcome existing barriers and actively involve women in political processes. Eight informative roll-ups address important topics such as the wage gap, poverty in old age and the compatibility of family and career. Pupils from class 11 ASP contributed to the exhibition with posters, collages and objects, which gave guests the opportunity to have lively discussions about the topics raised.

Women in politics: an arduous path

The opening of the exhibition comes at a time when only 20% of local politicians in Vogelsberg are female, while the national average is 30%. These figures illustrate the need to integrate women into Germany's political landscape. Nationwide, the proportion of women in the German Bundestag is 32.4% and 33.2% in state parliaments. Nevertheless, the average in local parliaments remains unchanged at 30.5%.bmfsfj.de highlights.

Female politicians often face a number of challenges. These range from the difficult balance of family and work to the prevailing male-dominated political culture to discriminatory electoral laws. A worrying trend is sexual harassment, which is reported by almost 40% of female politicians, and among those under 45 the proportion is as high as 60%. This shows that it is not just the structures, but also a culture that often makes life difficult for women.The Federal Foundation for Equality points out these problems.

A holistic approach for greater equality

To address the problem, various programs were launched, including the “Municipal Action Program – Women in Politics” and the Helene Weber College, which actively supports women with coaching, networking opportunities and training opportunities. Another promising project that started on December 1, 2024 is called “Women. Diversity. Politics. Shaping democracy locally”. This program aims to increase the proportion of women in politics and offers targeted measures in rural regions. It remains to be hoped that such initiatives can also bring about lasting changes in Vogelsberg.

The exhibition “Women in Focus” not only comes at the right time, it is also a step in the right direction. “We must raise our voices and fight for our rights!” shout the organizers and participants in unison. The dialogue on equality and political participation must continue, and every participation plays a central role in this. Especially in the current times, when issues are more on the political agenda than ever, it is important that women not only make up 50% of the population, but are also integrated into the political decision-making process.