First unisex toilet on Sankt Augustin Campus

The new toilet facility offers seven fully enclosed cubicles that extend from floor to ceiling. This ensures privacy and comfort for all users. It can be found in room C 011 - opposite the Equal Opportunities Office and the AStA.

The decision to install such a toilet facility is based on the university's ongoing endeavour to create an inclusive and respectful environment for all members of the university community.

"We firmly believe that everyone has the right to feel safe and accepted, regardless of gender or gender identity," says Ute Schmitz, Head of Facility Management, Construction and Safety. "By introducing this unisex toilet facility, we want to set an example for valuing diversity and recognising individual needs. It is important to us to break down barriers and create an environment in which everyone can feel welcome and respected."

"Promoting gender equality and diversity and taking into account new challenges posed by social and family lifestyles is emphasised in the current 2021-2025 university development plan as an overarching strategic and university-wide goal," explains Barbara Hillen-Haas, Central Equal Opportunities Officer at H-BRS. "The university is also obliged by the NRW State Equal Opportunities Act to eliminate existing gender-related disadvantages and discrimination."

In addition to completely separate toilet cubicles, the new unisex toilet also has a dispenser with free menstrual products. The continuation of this offer was anchored by the university management in the action programme of the "family-friendly university" certificate in 2022 and is a declared goal of the current equality concept for parity at the university.

A toilet facility of this kind will also be built there as part of the refurbishments at Rheinbach Campus.