City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs Overview of the herstory, divisions and projects Content Introduction to the City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs(Municipal Department 57) 05 Herstory 06 Guidelines, principles and goals 07 Vienna´s Dedication to Gender Equality 07 Organisational chart 08 Counselling and protecting women 09 Service Center for Women and Legal Issues(Women’s Centre) 10 24-hour Women’s Helpline 10 Funding women’s organisations and projects 12 Annual Funding 13 Policy and project work/ Basic Research 14 Making Women Visible 15 Women Pioneer Gallery 15 Barrier-free Exhibition Module 16 Girl Empowerment 18 Girl Power Workshops 19 Wiener Töchtertag/ Vienna Daughter´s Day 20 Brochures for Girls 21 Gender-sensitive Education 22 Genderroles.Picture.Book – Living Diversity: New Perspectives on Gendered Roles and Work 22 2 Paid and unpaid work by women 24 “Women ask women“: workshops on work, 25 digitalisation and ecological sustainability Gender Pay Gap and Gender Pension Gap 25 International Networks – Connecting Women 27 FemCities 28 Eurocities 29 Delegations 29 Studies, research and publications 30 Gender equality monitor 31 Study on Women with disabilities 32 Women’s Barometer 33 Vienna’s largest women’s survey“Vienna, as she wants it.” and thematic studies 33 Publication series 34 Campaigns 36 Public Relations 37 Awarding Outstanding Women 38 International Women’s Day 38 Social Media 39 Newsletter 40 Presence at events 40 3 4 Introduction to the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs (Municipal Department 57) The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs(Municipal Department 57) is responsible for the advancement, promotion and coordination of women‘s issues in Vienna. It advocates a gender-equitable society, which offers women and men equal living and working opportunities. The provided services are directed towards girls and women living in Vienna and to the employees of the Vienna City Administration. The staff team includes legal experts, political scientists, social scientists, social workers, clinical psychologists and health psychologists, office administrators, economists, and public-relations experts, whose qualifications match the wide range of tasks performed by the department. 5 Herstory The Municipal Department 57 was established on the 10th of December 1991. Back then the list of responsibilities included participation in legal matters relevant to women in Vienna, in particular in legal provisions concerning female municipal employees. Moreover, the department worked on the establishment of kindergartens, the institutional promotion of women, public relations for the advancement of gender equality, activities for the further and continuing professional training of women, measures to endorse women in the City of Vienna and at the same time, continuously coordinated with the federal government. After its foundation, ten women started working in the newly founded Women‘s Office in 1992. It was later renamed to City of Vienna, Department for Women’s Affairs(Municipal Department 57). Since then roles and responsibilities have been repeatedly adapted. In 1999, for example, the department took over the management of the 24-Hour Women’s Helpline, which provides advice, information and support to women and girls from 14 years, who are affected by sexualised physical or psychological violence. In 2003 the processing of financial contributions to the women‘s shelters was added to its list of responsibilities, in connection with its financial support of women-relevant projects and measures for the advancement of women in the City of Vienna. In 2019 the department opened the Women´s Center, where women in Vienna can get counselling and information from a team of legal experts, social workers and psychologists free of charge. In 2021, the department celebrated its 30-year anniversary. In 2023 the department received the Common Assessment Framework(CAF). This certificate showcases public-sector organisations across Europe that are using excellent and innovative quality management techniques to improve their performance. 6 Guidelines, principles and goals The main objective of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs is to promote equality of women and men and to encourage women to become proactive, lead an autonomous life and participate in all areas of life. Consequently, with its services and information work, it promotes the empowerment of girls and women in Vienna. In this context, empowerment means encouraging, strengthening and supporting selfefficacy, independent living and social participation. With the counselling services offered by the department, girls and women can receive continuous support. In its work, the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs aims at an interdisciplinary approach to girls and women in Vienna taking into account the diversity of their lives. Vienna’s Dedication to Gender Equality The City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs cooperates with many different bodies, inside and outside of the city administration. The department´s experts are members of different committees for studies and projects, as well as working groups and advisory boards within and outside the city. Vienna has embraced a widespread approach to incorporating gender perspectives into its organisational framework and policy implementation. This commitment is evident through initiatives such as gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting, targeted efforts against gender-specific violence and sexual harassment and the integration of gender perspectives in key areas such as urban planning, housing, health services, as well as within labour market policies and education. The success achieved in advancing gender equality within the City of Vienna can be attributed to the commitment of political representatives and prominent figures within the Vienna City 7 Administration. Critical contributions also stem from gender experts and specialised divisions within various departments, such as the health department(MD 24), which actively shapes the landscape of gender mainstreaming. Notably, the presence of around seventy trained„Contact Women“ across various departments further underscores Vienna‘s dedication to fostering a gendersensitive environment in every facet of its administration. Organisational chart Head of Department Administration and Organsisation Public Relations Division Women‘s Center Division 24-hour women‘s Emergency Hotline Division Funding Division Basic Research The City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs has various divisions dedicated to different focal points, such as counselling, funding, research or public relations. 8 Counselling and protecting women The women’s centre as well as the 24-hour Women’s Helpline are part of the City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs. The Women‘s Centre advises women on legal issues, while the 24-hour Women’s Helpline is an immediate and around the clock contact point for women and girls having experienced gender based violence. 9 Service Center for Women and Legal Issues(Women’s Center) The Women‘s Center is the City of Vienna‘s central advice and information centre for all women living in Vienna. A team of lawyers, social workers and psychologists advises women free of charge, confidentially and, if required, anonymously. It offers initial counselling and information on the following topics: • Legal advice on family law, especially on the topics of divorce, separation, custody, contact rights and alimony. • Social counselling on social, financial and professional issues, such as entitlements to social benefits, access to social housing or support with returning to work following parental leave. • Psychological counselling for support and relief in challenging life situations or before making important decisions. • Other available counselling and support services in Vienna. The counselling services are available by telephone, in person or by email and are provided in German and English. Legal counselling in family law is also available in Bosnian/Croatian/ Serbian(BKS). Lastly, the women‘s centre also holds workshops and events at their premises and is barrier-free. 24-hour Women’s Helpline The 24-hour Women‘s Helpline is a contact point for all women and girls aged 14 and over who are affected by sexualised, physical and/or psychological violence- regardless of how long ago the violence occurred. The team consists of clinical and health psychologists, social workers and lawyers. Access to the counselling centre and the rooms is barrier-free. 10 Their services include: • Rapid immediate help and crisis intervention, as well as accompaniment to the police, victim advocate, court or hospital in cases of acute violence. • Psychological and social work, as well as legal counselling. • Psychosocial process support and organisation of legal process support. • Information about other counselling services in Vienna and referrals for issues not related to violence. • Training events, expert information and coaching for other institutions. The services are free of charge, confidential and, if required, anonymous. The counselling is offered in German, Bosnian/Croatian/ Serbian, English, Farsi, Spanish and Turkish. 11 Funding women’s organisations and projects The City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs financially supports non-profit associations and organisations in order to offer services to girls and women. The services and projects of the funded associations and organisations make an important contribution to equal opportunities, protection against gender based violence and livelihood security as well as to ensuring that women can live safely, independently, self-determinedly and without discrimination in the City of Vienna. 12 Funding Opportunities The City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs financially supports a diverse range of organisations, which can receive funding for up to three years. These entities address multifaceted issues, including but not limited to violence against women, the empowerment of young girls, and support for migrant women. Through their impactful initiatives such as counselling services and workshops, the NGOs play a pivotal role in advancing the department‘s overarching goal of supporting numerous causes, creating a robust framework for community empowerment. The majority of the funding is directed at the Vienna Women‘s Shelters Association. This organisation offers women affected by violence and their children a safe haven in five women‘s shelters. In total, they offer spaces for 228 women and children. The association also runs a transitional home. 13 Policy and project work/ Basic Research The City of Vienna Department for Women´s Affairs has a policy and basic research department, where projects and studies on a wide variety of topics are developed and implemented. The department‘s experts are active members of various committees and working groups both within and outside the city administration. The basic research team collaborates with different organizations and institutions in Vienna, working on joint projects and initiatives. The department also undertakes a range of diverse tasks, including expert statements on regional, national, and European draft laws. 14 Making Women Visible Under the motto“making women visible” the policy and basic research department of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs pursues projects that contribute to actively highlighting and promoting the often-overlooked contributions, and achievements of women, which otherwise might remain hidden or underappreciated. This includes showcasing women‘s work in various sectors, recognising their expertise, and implementing communication strategies to raise awareness about the valuable roles women play in the city‘s development and well-being. Women Pioneer Gallery The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs displays the “Viennese Women Pioneers” gallery, which is displayed every year around the International Women’s Day in the Viennese town hall courtyard. The exhibition is easily accessible and open to the public. It includes more than 30 portraits of extraordinary Viennese women from different fields and provides insights into their lives as well as their contributions to society. The common thread that links the commitment of these women is the goal of and fight for equal rights for women and men in a just society. Simultaneously, the exhibition informs visitors on the history of women’s rights in Austria and Vienna. Since 2025 all the gallery is also available online: wien.gv.at/spezial/pionierinnen/ 15 Barrier-free Exhibition Module A barrier-free exhibition module was developed together with architect Gabu Heindl as well as women with different abilities. In this model, people with all different abilities might benefit from gathering information without barriers(sign language, Braille, wheel chair accessible, simple language). The exhibition module is versatile and different studies, projects, ideas or information can be conveyed with it. The current exhibition#gemeinsamgegengewalt is focused on combatting violence against women. It provides information on what violence against women can entail, based on the experiences of different counselling centres for women who witness or suffer from gender-based violence. The exhibition module has been in almost constant display since its development, conveying different studies, data or information. It has been appreciated by different visitors of all ages and abilities and provides information in almost all barrier-free exhibition tools. Consequently, it ensures equal access to cultural and educational experiences, fostering inclusivity and dismantling physical and societal barriers. Last but not least: Its making women with abilities visible! 16 17 Girl Empowerment Girl empowerment refers to the process of enabling and equipping girls with the knowledge, skills, resources, support and opportunities necessary to assert control over their lives, make informed choices, and actively participate in social, economic, and political spheres. It involves fostering self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of agency, as well as advocating for equal access to education, healthcare, and opportunities without discrimination based on gender. Girl empowerment is a crucial aspect of gender equality efforts, aiming to dismantle traditional gender norms and create a more inclusive and equitable society, in which girls can reach their full potential. 18 Girl Power Workshops In order to provide qualitative empowerment tools, the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs created informative and interactive“Girl Power Workshops”. Schools or educational institutions in Vienna can book these workshops free of charge for groups of girls aged 14 to 22. The workshops focus on four topics: • Labour: Knowing your rights and responsibilities at work. • Rights: Learning about human, women as well as child and youth rights. • Media: Supporting healthy self-esteem and safe conduct online. • Against Violence against Women: Providing information and support to lead a safe life and learn about respectful relationships. • Safe Nightlife: Receiving information about different organisations, projects and other forms of support when going out in Vienna. The workshops use interactive methods, such as videos, quizzes and other collective exercises, to reflect on the chosen topic. External lecturers hold the workshop at the facilities of the Department for Women. In order to create a safe space during the workshops, teachers are asked to withdraw. 19 Wiener Töchtertag/ Vienna Daughter’s Day At the Vienna Daughters‘ Day, girls can visit a company and get to know professions in the fields of technology, digitalisation, crafts, and natural sciences. All girls from the 1st grade of secondary school or high school up to graduation, who go to school in Vienna, Lower Austria or Burgenland are invited. Participation is free of charge for girls and companies. Meanwhile, the City has added two additional Daughter’s Days:“KIDS” for girls in primary school and “MINI” for kindergarten groups. More than 4.000 girls and 250 companies take part in the Vienna Daughters‘ Day. The initiative has a positive impact by offering young girls a first-hand exposure to diverse career possibilities, fostering their aspirations, and challenging gender stereotypes. This initiative helps break down occupational gender barriers, encouraging girls to envision and pursue a wide range of professional paths. Wiener Töchtertag 24. April 2025 Infos für Lehrer*innen Wiener Töchtertag 24. April 2025 Infos für Unternehmen 20 Wiener Töchtertag 24. April 2025 Infos für Mädchen& Eltern toechtertag.at Brochures for Girls The brochures of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs encourage girls‘ empowerment by providing accessible and informative resources. These brochures can offer girls essential knowledge, promote awareness of their rights, and equip them with the skills needed to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships, and media consumption. By fostering education and awareness, these brochures contribute to girls‘ empowerment, helping them navigate key aspects of their lives with confidence and autonomy. The brochures of the department cover the following topics: • Girls have Rights: Informs girls on their rights and responsibilities throughout their adolescence. • An ABC for Desire and Love: Contains different sexual education terminologies and their definitions as well as support services. • Girls Online I& II: Educates girls on their rights and responsibilities in social media and more generally the internet. 21 Gender-sensitive Education Gender stereotypes and role models shape gender identities and attributions from a young age. Teachers, parents and other caregivers often struggle to find reliable information and tools for gendersensitive education methods for young children. The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs, together with the City Councillor for Women, developed the„Education Box“ – a comprehensive toolbox for educators, parents and other caregivers to anchor gender sensitivity in their daily work and interactions with children. The„Education Box“ provides background information on the topic of„gender-sensitive education“, encourages further reading and information, helps children to reflect on their own role models and offers practical instructions on how children can discover and deepen their interests through games. For example, the“Education Box” contains suggestions for inclusive literature and games, including a memory game that tries to challenge traditional gender norms. The“Education Box” has helped to promote gender-sensitive education, dismantling gender stereotypes and providing a basis for the creation of alternative role models. In a larger sense, the projects contribute to all girls and boys having the opportunity to develop diverse interests and discover their talents, regardless of their attributed gender. Genderroles.Picture.Book – Living Diversity: New Perspectives on Gendered Roles and Work What societal role is typical for women? Which job is typical for men? Which tasks are mostly performed by women, and which by men? 22 These are the questions that form the basis of the Genderroles. Picture.Book and the materials on the website linked below. The goal is to present role and career images beyond gender-specific prejudices and stereotypes, making them not only visible but also approachable. The playful approach of the Genderroles. Picture.Book, along with the career and person descriptions on the website, provides a real-world approach for reflecting on gender stereotypes. In line with the premise„Prejudices are outdated!“, children and adolescents should be encouraged to perceive role models as changeable and to choose individual life, education, and career paths. Additionally, didactic guidelines for methodical implementation offer suggestions for working with children and adolescents of various age groups on this topic. Available in print and online in German: wien.gv.at/spezial/rollenbilder/ 23 Paid and unpaid work by women The labour market is a dynamic economic space where individuals participate in the exchange of their skills, labour, and services in return for wages, salaries, or self-employment income. In the context of gender equality, the labour market plays a significant role as it often exhibits disparities in employment opportunities, wages, and career advancement between women and men. Here, the overarching goal of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs is to ensure that the labour market becomes more equitable, meaning that individuals of all genders have equal access to job opportunities, fair compensation, and career progression. Achieving gender equality in the labour market involves addressing and eliminating gender-based discrimination, supporting work-life balance, and creating an environment where individuals can thrive irrespective of their gender identity. 24 “Women ask women“: Workshops on work, digitalisation and ecological sustainability Digitalisation and ecological sustainability have become widespread topics in everyday life, furthermore they have an influence on our working lives. What do these changes mean for women and how can they actively shape them? Which green jobs are developing, are they interesting for women and how can they access them? How can women’s networks and role models show new ways of work? The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs offers in cooperation with the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund (waff) annually a series of free of charge workshops in late autumn under the title“Women ask Women” on work, digitalisation and ecological sustainability. Gender Pay Gap and Gender Pension Gap The income gap between women and men persists. The Equal Pay Day in Austria, the day from which women statistically work for free until the end of the year, took place on October 31st, in 2023. This shows that the gender pay gap, the difference in income between women and men, persists. Compared to the rest of Austria, Vienna has the latest Equal Pay Day on November 21st. Although the situation for Viennese women is comparatively better, the demand for more income equality remains important. Every Equal Pay Day, the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs, in cooperation with the Austrian Trade Union Federation and the Vienna Chamber of Labour, has a public stand where information material is distributed, and passers-by are informed about the significance of the day. The aim is to directly inform women in Vienna about the Gender Pay Gap and show them 25 what is being done to continue the fight against these inequalities. The same activity takes place for the Equal Pension Day – the day on which men have already received as much pension as women will only receive by the end of the year. In 2023, the Equal Pension Day was on August 4th, as women in Austria, compared to men, received 40.55 percent lower pensions. 26 International Networks – Connecting Women International connections facilitate the exchange of valuable information, enabling the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs to learn from the experiences and successes of other cities in promoting gender equality. Participation in conferences and delegations provides a platform to display Vienna‘s initiatives, gain recognition for best practices, and foster collaboration with international partners. Additionally, these networks can offer support in the form of shared resources, expertise, and solidarity, creating a global community dedicated to advancing women‘s rights and empowerment. 27 FemCities The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs coordinates FemCities(www.femcities.at), a city network, which was created under the name Milena in 1997. Today, the network is concerned with what city and municipal administrations can do to promote women, girls and gender equality. The network supports the exchange of successful models in the field of local and regional women’s policy and enforces the lobbying for equality issues in Europe. Gender equality issues and opportunities for action of municipalities are at the centre of FemCities, complemented by the exchange and transfer of knowledge with actors from other fields. FemCities organises one conference per year to showcase the cities’ best practices, discussing challenges and inviting international expert speakers. Relevant administrations(on gender equality/equal opportunities/women) in European cities and municipalities are invited to be network partners. NGOs as well as other associations may join as associate partners. The network’s goal is the exchange of ideas and practices. 28 Eurocities Eurocities is the largest network of European cities. They count over 200 large cities among their membership, representing more than 150 million people across 38 countries, from within and outside the European Union. Eurocities is where local governments meet, exchange ideas and work together to bring positive change. Their actions cut across a broad range of themes and foster change through advocacy and projects, while our membership offers extensive networking opportunities, activities, events, training and campaigns. The City of Vienna, as well as the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs, is an active member of Eurocities. The department is part of the Eurocities Task Force on Women´s Rights and Gender Equality, which will work to secure a gender mainstreaming approach in policy and projects, and support cities to build up their capacities by sharing best practices such as gender budgeting and approaches to gender sensitive urban planning. Delegations Delegations from all around the world visiting the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs benefit from first-hand insights into Vienna’s successful gender equality initiatives, sharing best practices and fostering cross-cultural exchanges. This exchange of knowledge not only strengthens international collaboration but also inspires innovative approaches and strategies to advance women‘s rights and empowerment on a global scale. 29 Studies, research and publications Equality between women and men is a lengthy process. Structures of inequality operate at different levels and only change slowly. In order to identify gender equality goals and monitor their development, it is necessary to obtain sound knowledge about the situation of women in Vienna. The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs therefore commissions research and studies on important women‘s policy issues. Publications are distributed in order to convey knowledge to both a specialist audience and the interested public, especially women in Vienna. 30 Gender Equality Monitor The Vienna Gender Equality Monitor continuously monitors gender equality in 12 selected areas of life in Vienna, such as political participation, education, health, work, etc. With this monitor, a concept was developed to empirically record and analyse the status quo and the development of gender equality in Vienna. The 12 topics and 160 indicators designed for this purpose interpret gender equality in a broad range of topics and are based on specific gender equality goals that were developed under the leadership of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs with the support of various specialist departments and experts from the City of Vienna as well as external experts. The Vienna Gender Equality Monitor 2013 presented the status quo on gender equality, including a discussion of the respective gender equality issues and of the data availability as well as informative value of the used data bases. Since then, two more monitors have been published with an added focus on the topic of migration in 2016, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. You can find the monitor(in German) online: gleichstellungsmonitor.at 31 Study on Women with disabilitie A qualitative study was conducted in 2019 asking women with different abilities what their specific needs and desires from their city and representatives were. Eight focus groups of women with disabilities were involved from the beginning as experts in their own cause. The topics ranged from living conditions, experience of discrimination, education, labour market and social and political participation. On the one hand, their expertise was included in the content design of the study and on the other hand, they supported the projects as multipliers for the implementation of the focus groups. Later on, the participants were also invited to the presentation of the study and to discuss the various outcomes. 32 Women’s Barometer The Vienna Women‘s Barometer is a representative quantitative survey commissioned regularly by the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs on the situation of women in Vienna and on specific current topics. These studies investigate the status quo of women in Vienna and to identify fields of action in the respective subject areas. The most recent Women’s Barometer explored the topic of digitalization and the possibilities of women’s active contribution to this all-encompassing development. In 2015 the topic focused on participation and participatory opportunities for Viennese women with a migration experience, highlighting accesses and barriers. Prior Women’s Barometers focused on women’s rights and herstory, conditions ensuring women’s self-determined lives, women’s perception on safety amongst others. Vienna’s largest women’s survey“Vienna, as she wants it.” In 2022 the largest survey on women’s situation in Vienna has been conducted under the title“Vienna, as she wants it.”. The study highlights the situation of women and girls in Vienna as well as their wishes and ideas for the future. All girls and women in Vienna were able to participate. Around 15.500 participants have taken part in the survey and contributed more than 77.000 answers. The results show the main requests of women for more time, more space and more opportunities. These outcomes provide the basis for specific projects and policies of the City of Vienna. 33 Single-parenting mothers in Vienna Publication series Frauen.Wissen.Wien is a feminist publication series, which is coordinated and published by the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs since 2014. Current women‘s political debates as well as past conferences and focal points of the department are discussed in handy publications. All issues are available for download online as PDF files. Each issue brings together several contributions from different authors on specific women‘s political debates in order to address the topic from different perspectives and convey knowledge. The latest published issues covered the following topics: • Women*Music: Who.makes.music? • Digitalisation? Gender-equitable! • What disables us – on the participation and visibility of women with disabilities in Vienna • Climate& gender – why climate(policy) is gender-relevant 34 35 Campaigns Campaigns raise awareness about important gender equality issues, fostering public dialogue and understanding. They display the department‘s commitment to women‘s rights and empowerment, building trust and credibility within the community. Additionally, public campaigns can mobilise support, encourage civic engagement, and contribute to shaping policies that address the specific needs and concerns of women in Vienna, promoting a more inclusive and equitable city. In 2018, the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs initiated the“I am your lifeline” campaign against sexual harassment of women. The campaign intends to raise awareness, prevent sexual harassment and at the same time provide tools to support women who have been harassed in restaurants, bars, clubs, concerts or public pools and big events such as“Donauinselfest” in Vienna, such as public pools and the Danube Island. Establishments that cooperate with the Lifeline campaign have to commit to the following measures: • Train security staff and label them with stickers. • Display information flyers in women’s toilets to inform the female public. • Prohibit sexist advertisement. • Check the rooms for safety, for example with regard to the lighting. 36 Public Relations The public relations department of the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs effectively communicates the department‘s initiatives, events, and achievements, fostering public awareness and support for gender equality efforts. Public relations contribute to shaping a positive perception, build credibility, and engage with various stakeholders, including the community, media, and other organisations, strengthening the department‘s influence and impact in advancing women‘s rights and empowerment within the city and beyond. 37 Awarding Outstanding Women Since 2002, the City of Vienna has been awarding prizes to women who contribute to making the city more liveable and gender-equitable through various approaches. In 2023 the Vienna Women‘s Prize was awarded in the categories„Director“ and„Everyday Heroine“. Additionally, a new category was added: the„Käthe Leichter Special Prize of the City of Vienna“, awarded for the first time in cooperation with the Chamber of Labour. The winners of the Vienna Women‘s Prize are endowed with 3,000 euros and receive a statue. International Women’s Day Every year, the Vienna Women‘s Day takes place around March 8th, the International Women’s Day, with an extensive program and an open house in the City Hall. In 2024, the City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs in cooperation with the City Councillor for Women coordinated a Women’s Week from the 4th to the 8th of March. The department is working together with other divisions of the city and their partners to organise the Women’s Week and offer a wide array of events and activities for the women of Vienna. This initiative contributes positively by providing a platform to celebrate women‘s achievements, fostering a sense of community, and raising awareness about gender equality issues. The event can inspire and empower women, promote dialogue on relevant challenges, and encourage collective efforts toward creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for women living in the city. Since 2024, the department coordinates the Vienna Women´s Week. Different departments in the City of Vienna and surrounding institutions offer a widespread array of workshops, lectures and other programs designed for girls and women in Vienna. 38 Offenes athaus R Eintritt frei Internationaler Frauentag „Wien, wie sie will.“ – Entdecke Angebote für Mädchen und Frauen 8. März 2025 im Wiener Rathaus 14.30 Uhr Einlass 15 bis 19.30 Uhr Programm 19.30 bis 23.30 Uhr Early EVE Clubbing Social Media The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs is present on various social media channels such as facebook and Youtube. On these channels, the public relations team regularly publishes updates and achievements of the department. Social media presence offers a direct and accessible platform to communicate with the public, share information on initiatives, and raise awareness on relevant issues. Through social media, the department can engage with the community, amplify its messages, and foster a sense of inclusivity, reaching a broader audience and effectively promoting women‘s rights and empowerment in Vienna. Additionally, it allows for real-time interaction, feedback, and dialogue, creating a dynamic and responsive communication channel. instagram.com/frauenservicewien facebook.com/FrauenserviceWien 39 Newsletter The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs monthly newsletter provides information on current topics, recent achievements and upcoming events for the public. It serves as a concise and regular communication tool to foster engagement, keep stakeholders informed, and reinforce the department‘s commitment to transparency and open communication regarding women‘s rights and empowerment in the city. wien.gv.at/newsletter/frauenservice/index.html Presence at events The City of Vienna Department for Women’s Affairs is regularly represented at relevant events organised by the City of Vienna or its partners. Hosting information stands or contributing as speakers and discussants at these events is a way to engage with the community. It allows for the dissemination of important information, resources, and initiatives, fostering public awareness and participation in gender equality programs while creating a tangible and approachable presence within the city. 40 Publishing details: Owned and edited by: Municipal Department 57 – Vienna Women´s Affairs Friedrich Schmidt Platz 3, A-1080 Vienna Text: Ricarda Goetz-Preisner, Pamina Lantos, Text editor: Adina Hasler Graphicdesign: bureau-p.at, Printed by: MA 21 B – Printhouse © Vienna · June 2025 41