International Women's Day at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences - What the wishes are used for.

After last week's Equal Care Day drew attention to care work, which is mostly done by women, the focus of International Women's Day is on women's rights and gender equality. Even though a lot has changed since the beginning of the women's movement: Women are far from equal and equally recognised in all areas.
At Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, women were able to visualise what they want for the future with the help of a wish tree. This also improves the "dialogue with university members", says Rebecca Brückner, Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer for the technical and administrative areas at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. The results of the wish tree campaign will be presented to the Central Commission for Women's Issues and, if necessary, concrete measures will be derived from them.

Peace and new structures
International Women's Day emerged from the women's and peace movement. "The desire for peace has not yet been fulfilled, which is why International Women's Day is still celebrated," says Rebecca Brückner. The Women's and Gender Equality Officer hopes that their needs are clear and self-evident and no longer have to be fought for. "This requires structures in the workplace to expand the hat under which everything should fit," says Rebecca Brückner.

Wish for a life free of violence and equal rights
To be able to go out at night without fear, for violence against women to be taken seriously and for stalking to be punished more severely - these are the wishes that have found their way onto the wish tree. The concern for one's own integrity is well-founded: According to the Federal Office of Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions, one in three women in Germany has experienced violence at least once in her life. But the wish lists also include the desire for equal pay, the renaming of International Women's Day to "Feminist Fighting Day or Flinta* Fighting Day" and that "men no longer claim that the sexes are already treated equally". Rebecca Brückner also has a "greatest wish of all": that one day everyone will be equal and International Women's Day will no longer be needed.

(Text: Jurina Kleemeyer and Nadine Metzler)

Translated with DeepL