Germany's gender equality push falters as key funding is slashed ahead of UN scrutiny

Germany's efforts to improve gender equality have faced fresh criticism as funding cuts target key organisations. The Ministry for Women's Affairs, led by Karin Prien, has stopped financial support for groups tracking women's representation in media and legal fields. The move comes as Germany ranks near the bottom of EU nations for workplace equality.

Prien is set to address the UN Commission on the Status of Women on March 8, International Women's Day, where she will highlight the economic costs of inequality. The Ministry for Women's Affairs has ended funding for ProQuote Medien, an initiative pushing for more women in senior media roles. The organisation's work had previously increased pressure for gender balance in leadership until 2022. However, no recent data exists on whether media companies have since changed their hiring practices or if the government has taken further action.

The ministry has also cut support for the Feminist Jurists' Conference and a fund aiding survivors of sexual abuse. These decisions follow warnings from Prien about potential setbacks in gender equality. She has urged her male colleagues to recognise the financial benefits of closing gender gaps, pointing to EU estimates that workplace disadvantages for women cost the bloc €390 billion each year.

Germany currently ranks third-to-last in the EU for gender equality in the labour market. The European Institute for Gender Equality's latest index also places the country below the EU average overall. Despite these challenges, Prien's upcoming UN speech will stress the need for progress in women's leadership roles. The funding cuts leave organisations like ProQuote Medien without government backing. Without updated figures, the impact on women's representation in media and other sectors remains unclear. Prien's address to the UN will put Germany's gender equality record under further scrutiny.