Successful cinema evening on International Women’s Day in the Eifel film stage in Hillesheim
District Administrator Julia Gieseking and Equal Opportunities Officer Doris Sicken present the “More women in local politics” campaign
Good mood, a great film and lots of great conversations at the cinema evening on International Women’s Day, to which the municipal equal opportunities officer Doris Sicken had traditionally invited to the Eifel film stage in Hillesheim. The film “Germany Represent – young, female, political” was shown, which accompanies three women from different parties from their candidacy to their electoral success. In advance, District Administrator Julia Gieseking and Equal Opportunities Officer Doris Sicken presented the campaign “More women in local politics”, which, with numerous events throughout the year, is intended to encourage women to get politically involved and to have them stand in the 2024 local elections.
The Municipal Equal Opportunities Officer Doris Sicken welcomed the audience, which fortunately included a few men as well as numerous women. “Unfortunately, we still can’t really talk about equality. Therefore, today, on International Women’s Day, special attention should be paid to the inequalities that still exist between men and women,” said Doris Sicken during the welcome speech. Women are still economically disadvantaged, as the “Equal Pay Day” shows every year. Compared to men, they work 66 days for free and, on average, have 18% less wages for the same job in Germany, explained Doris Sicken.
“More women in local politics” – District Administrator Julia Gieseking presents the campaign
“Women are also clearly underrepresented in political bodies, even though they make up half of the population,” says District Administrator Julia Gieseking. In 2024 there is a chance to reshuffle the cards. The forthcoming local elections will set the course for the future of the region. In the Vulkaneifel district, the proportion of women in the district council is currently 30 percent, in the municipal councils it is 13 percent and only every tenth office of the local mayor is held by a woman. “We want to change that in 2024,” said District Administrator Julia Gieseking. “We are convinced that the councils should have people who represent all parts of the population: young and old, craftsmen and academics, long-established and people with a migration background. And of course women too! We are convinced that this is the only way to make good decisions!” A series of events under the motto “More women in local politics” is intended to encourage women in the Vulkaneifel district to get involved in politics.
The start is a social media campaign under the motto “Why am I doing politics” – statements by politically active women from the Vulkaneifel district, which will start at the end of April. This is followed by numerous events. In addition to a moderated panel discussion with all factions of the district council, workshops, keynote speeches and a regulars’ table for interested women are planned. In addition, the Vulkaneifel district has registered with the European Academy for Women in Politics and Business for the community action program. Women in politics! Applied.
The film takes up the theme of the planned campaign
This year’s film for International Women’s Day was also selected to match the “More women in local politics” campaign.
In “Germany Represent – young, female, political” three women from different parties are accompanied from their candidacy to their electoral success. One of the three women: Nyke Slawik- First trans woman in the German Bundestag. The three women have one thing in common: despite hate messages and racism, they defend their seemingly inexhaustible commitment.
After the film, the evening ended with snacks, good and interesting conversations about the film and the planned campaign.
Background information on International Women’s Day
For more than 100 years, on March 8th, attention has been drawn worldwide to women’s rights, gender equality and existing discrimination. The traditional cinema evening on the occasion of International Women’s Day in the Eifel film stage in Hillesheim took place for the first time in 1997.
