“No special rights, but human rights” – The demand made by Clara Zetkin, the initiator of the first International Women’s Day, is unfortunately more relevant than ever after 114 years. Women’s rights and feminist achievements, once thought secure, are once again being questioned in times of militarisation and an international shift to the right. Anti-feminist parties and narratives, which are sexist and openly misanthropic, are gaining majority support. This is despite the fact that, even in 2024, no country in the world has achieved gender equality. Despite (or precisely because of) the successes of feminist struggles, women continue to have their human rights violated daily and are systematically affected by gender-based violence. In Germany alone, 20 women have been killed due to their gender since the beginning of the year.
At the same time, countless initiatives, organisations, and individuals are resolutely and vocally advocating for a society free from gender discrimination. Driven particularly by women and feminists*, they draw attention to grievances, support those affected, challenge existing conditions, and initiate change processes worldwide, even in difficult times.
For the commitment to gender equality to be successful, strong alliances and cooperations are essential. Alliances against gender-based violence must therefore be strengthened, expanded, and broadly supported. Only through the concerted efforts of many can we protect (multiply discriminated against) women from violence and change violent societal structures. Only as a society can we defend our democracy against anti-feminist, right-wing extremist attacks and enable all people in our country to live a life free from violence.
The Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Täterarbeit Häusliche Gewalt e.V. is a member of interdisciplinary networks against domestic and gender-based violence. We are convinced that a society without gender discrimination is only possible if the fight for gender equality is finally understood as a task for society as a whole. Therefore, on International Women’s Day, we call on democratic parties, also with regard to the EU parliamentary elections, to take a decisive stand against violence against women and anti-feminism, and to give greater consideration to gender-specific characteristics in future legislative proposals. Civil society organisations that advocate for the rights of discriminated people must be adequately funded and involved in political decision-making processes. At the local level, further resources are also needed to ensure cooperation and networking between relevant local actors*.
For a democratic society in which all people, regardless of their gender, can live freely and safely!
