Long-time director shaped equality work and violence prevention in Darmstadt
After 21 years of service to the City of Darmstadt, Edda Feess is retiring. The long-time head of the Women's Office has now been officially bid farewell. Since 2005, she has been committed to equality and equal opportunities for women and girls in various roles.
Born in 1961, the political scientist and German studies scholar began working for the city in 2005 as deputy women's affairs officer. In May 2012, she took over as head of the women's office. During this time, she was involved in numerous projects on gender equality, work-life balance, and the protection of women from violence.
Commitment to equality and work-life balance
From the very beginning of her career, Feess focused on official equality work in accordance with the Hessian Equal Opportunities Act and the reconciliation of family and career. She headed the "Local Alliance for Families Darmstadt" and, together with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the twenty largest companies in Darmstadt, developed practical solutions within the framework of the "NetzWerkStadt" (Network City) project.
Feess was awarded the Medal of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2008 for the internet guide she founded to better reconcile work and family life.
Protection from violence as a key focus
With her assumption of leadership of the Women's Office in 2012, the protection against domestic and sexual violence became a more central focus of her work. Projects included an inclusive conference on the protection of women with disabilities in 2013 and the development of a protection concept for refugee women in Darmstadt's initial accommodation facilities in 2015.
Starting in 2019, the "Darmstadt Model" for implementing the Istanbul Convention at the municipal level was developed under the leadership of the Women's Office and in cooperation with experts from the Violence Prevention Network. In November 2021, the information campaign "Breaking the Silence" followed, raising awareness of support services for women in violent situations.
Another project during her term is the development of a new women's shelter. According to current plans, it is scheduled to be handed over to the operator and the women affected in August 2027.
Equality action plans and the Luise Büchner memorial
During her term in office, Darmstadt joined the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life in 2015. The first Darmstadt Equality Report in 2021 has been followed by two equality action plans with a total of more than 35 measures.
Furthermore, in June 2017, a monument to the Darmstadt women's rights activist Luise Büchner, who campaigned especially for the education of women and girls in the 19th century, was unveiled on the initiative of Edda Feess and the Luise Büchner Society.
City leaders acknowledge long-standing commitment
Mayor Hanno Benz praised the achievements of the outgoing head of the Women's Office: "Edda Feess has shaped and given a face to equality work in Darmstadt. The fact that equality is now firmly anchored in politics and in the work of our city administration is also thanks to her."
Mayor Barbara Akdeniz also highlighted Feess's long-standing commitment. She said that with tenacity, competence, and passion, she had enabled structural improvements and created new opportunities for women and girls.
Feess herself looks back on her work with gratitude: "Overcoming discrimination and contributing to enabling women to live freely and independently has always been a very meaningful task for me."
For her, equality work meant achieving change step by step through dialogue and in collaboration with many stakeholders. Looking to the future, she hopes that women's policy will continue to hold a high priority in Darmstadt.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip/ho)
Featured image: Edda Feess. Photo: City of Darmstadt
