Spring conference of the NRW Landeskonferenz der Gleichstellungsbeauftragten

On March 27, 2025, the spring conference of the  (LaKof) Landeskonferenz der Gleichstellungsbeauftragten of North Rhine-Westphalia took place in Sankt Augustin, followed by a general meeting. The event was hosted by Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Bonn. A total of 60 equal opportunities officers from universities, universities of applied sciences and university hospitals in NRW took part.

The central theme of the conference was: “Gender equality work under pressure - challenges and coping strategies in times of political crisis”. Increasing resistance to equal opportunities and the implementation of women's rights can be observed worldwide. Universities are not exempt from this. People with existing privileges in particular sometimes perceive measures to promote equality as a threat and there are calls to cut or even discontinue diversity and equality programs. These challenges were the focus of the presentations and discussions at the conference.

In her welcoming address, the President of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Professor Marion Halfmann, emphasized the essential importance of gender equality policy for a functioning democracy. She emphasized that the gender equality mandate is not only a legal obligation, but also a social responsibility.

Conference speakers Dr. Juliane Lorenz and Dr. Ulrike Brand-Proharam Gonzalez presented the participants with various scenarios from everyday university life, which they used to develop strategies for overcoming resistance to equality measures. Among other things, Dr. Lorenz recommended using metaphorical images in discussions with opponents of equality. A striking example of this was her statement: “If you have always stood in the sun, the first shadow feels like darkness - but the weather remains the same for everyone.” This figurative language should help to reduce misunderstandings and enable constructive communication.
 

The conference made it clear that resistance to equality policy is not an individual case, but rather a structural and collective phenomenon. This strengthened the participants' awareness of the need for close cooperation in order to further promote equality. The event, which was moderated by Dr. Lisa Mense from the Network for Women's and Gender Studies NRW, provided valuable impetus and concrete recommendations for action to make gender equality work effective despite existing resistance.

The participants left the spring conference with a strengthened network and practical solutions - safe in the knowledge that they are not alone with their challenges and that joint commitment makes all the difference.