27,000 in Berlin march for more rights on International Women’s Day
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Germany to mark International Women’s Day on Sunday.
By late morning, a rally in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district was already crowded, as a broad alliance of trade unions, associations, initiatives and women’s centres all invited people to join in.
The Berlin police said 27,000 had joined the event that organizers expected would draw some 10,000. The organizers put the number of attendees at 30,000. There were no incidents, a police spokeswoman said.
“Equality is not rocket science,” one poster read. Another said, “Men don’t kill for love.” Speakers criticized the fact that violence against women is part of everyday life in Germany and also slammed discrimination against women in the workplace.
As Germany mulls reintroducing conscription to boost its armed forces, speakers also opposed the possible introduction of compulsory military service for women.
From war to part-time work, many issues in focus
As war rages in the Middle East, some posters called for “solidarity with the resistance in Iran.”
The district chairwoman of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) in Berlin-Brandenburg, Katja Karger, accused the government of attacking the welfare state.
She called for better protection of women from sexual violence in the workplace, no restrictions on the right to part-time work and the retention of the eight-hour working day. Anyone who wants to abolish it has no idea about the world of work, she said.
The DGB led the march with the other groups under the banner “Feminist, in solidarity, with the trade union.” It planned to head to the City Hall, where Mayor Kai Wegner has his official residence.
Berlin City Hall is popularly known as Red City Hall, not because of its politics, but for the colour of the bricks it is built from. Incumbent Mayor Wegner is a conservative.
Equality is often still lacking in everyday life, Labour Minister Bärbel Bas told dpa on the occasion of the holiday.
“Almost three-quarters of mothers still work part-time, often not voluntarily,” said Bas, also noting the gender pay gap. “Women earn on average 16% less than men and are still under-represented in many areas of technology.”
However, she said this is not due to a lack of ability, but too often to conditions that force women to take a back seat.
Equality remains a question of respect and one “for the future of our country,” said the minister.
Minister for Women Karin Prien added: “In terms of equality between women and men, Germany is doing quite well in a global comparison. But there is still room for improvement.”
Speaking to the Rheinische Post newspaper, Prien said implementing equality is not a “nice concession” to committed women’s rights activists, but a constitutional mandate.
Large rallies were also expected in several German cities, including Hamburg, Munich, Hanover and Leipzig.
Further rallies staged on Sunday
The Berlin march coincided with other planned events championing women’s rights, but also peace and disarmament and other issues.
Other planned events in Berlin included the traditional “Purple Ride” bicycle tour organized by left-wing and lesbian women’s groups, with 2,000 participants expected to take part.
In the afternoon, left-wing groups were to march to the central square named after Polish-German Marxist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg under the banner “Feminism Unlimited.”
A total of 3,000 demonstrators were registered to take part.
Another demonstration with 1,200 participants under the slogan “March 8 International” was planned for the afternoon.
Radical left-wing groups are also calling for marches under the slogans “Freedom for Palestine” and a “Revolutionary March 8 Demonstration.”
