Mayor praises commitment to International Women's Day
To mark International Women's Day on March 8th, the city of Darmstadt is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Women's Office . Mayor Hanno Benz emphasizes the importance of the institution for equality and equal opportunities in the city.
"For 40 years, the Women's Office has been a strong voice for the concerns of women in Darmstadt," explains Benz. With the establishment of a municipal Women's Office in 1986, the city sent a clear signal early on – even though this step was not without resistance at the time.
Pioneers of municipal women's policy
Among the pioneers was the first internal women's representative, Gudrun Groothuis-Eckhardt, who promoted the development of corresponding structures within the city administration.
In November 1986, Kaj Fölster became the first external women's representative. She established the women's office early on as an important point of contact and source of inspiration for equality issues in the city's society.
Empowering women in positions of responsibility
Benz emphasizes that equality is now common practice in many areas of administration. Women hold leadership positions in various departments, including the Darmstadt professional fire brigade, the cultural affairs office, and as citizens' and anti-Semitism commissioners.
To further promote women in the future, the city is currently working on developing its personnel development concept. Plans include models for leadership tandems , in which management positions can be shared on a part-time basis.
In addition, an internal city-wide directory of female experts , targeted networking formats and cross-mentoring programs with experienced managers are intended to further strengthen the careers of women within the administration.
Programs for women in technical professions
The city also aims to specifically promote women in the areas of digitalization and technology. Special programs for women in STEM professions within the administration are intended to further increase the proportion of women in these fields.
According to the city, the proportion of women in the administration of the science city of Darmstadt was 57.56 percent in July 2025 .
Thanks to the current women's representative
To mark the anniversary, Mayor Benz also acknowledged the work of the current Women's Representative, Edda Feess. He stated that with her expertise and dedication, she provides important impetus for equality, participation, and an open urban society.
On International Women's Day, the mayor expressed his gratitude to all past and present female employees of the Women's Office. Their dedication has contributed to the further development of Darmstadt as a modern and diverse city.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/ho)
