Last Monday, we welcomed the Rhineland-Palatinate State Working Group of Municipal Women's and Equal Opportunities Officers to their spring meeting at the European Vocational Training Centre.

The approximately 25 equal opportunities commissioners were welcomed by District Administrator Andreas Kruppert.  He underlined the importance of the work of the equal opportunities commissioners: "For me, it goes without saying that women and men should have the same opportunities throughout their lives - personally, professionally and in the family! But since we have unfortunately not yet achieved this, your work as Equal Opportunities Officers is very important for a just society!"

Women's and gender equality representatives are currently particularly concerned with the war in Ukraine and the resulting displacement and flight of predominantly women and children, who must be consistently protected from sexualised violence, human trafficking and exploitation. Women and children also arrive in Germany every day from other countries who have fled war, poverty and/or gender-based violence. The LAG therefore calls for the implementation of violence protection concepts in shelters, separate accommodation facilities as well as in shelters for women travelling alone or women affected by violence when taking in women and children who are fleeing.

In the spirit of networking, there was a lively exchange on current issues in the afternoon, with a special focus on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention at the municipal level. "Since most equal opportunities commissioners are lone fighters in their municipalities and districts, it is important to engage in exchange, use synergy effects and support each other," said Marita Singh, equal opportunities commissioner of the Bitburg-Prüm district, who, as host and spokesperson of the LAG, was bid farewell by the members of the LAG after more than 22 years in office. Marita Singh will continue to serve the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm as Equal Opportunities Officer until the summer. Susanne Diehl, Equal Opportunities Officer of the City of Ludwigshafen, who will also be taking her well-deserved retirement this summer, was also bade farewell.

The Euro-BBW thanks the state working group as well as District Administrator Andreas Kruppert for their visit and wishes Marita Singh and Susanne Diehl all the best for their retirement.