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Equality tsar wins case against own ministry

UPDATE: The equality commissioner at the German Family Ministry won a court case on Thursday against her own employers over the appointment of three men to key positions in 2012.

Equality tsar wins case against own ministry
Family Minister Manuela Schwesig. Photo: DPA

Kristin Rose-Möhring took the ministry to Germany's administrative court because the three positions – press spokesman, state secretary, and an independent commissioner on child abuse – were filled without consulting her. All three posts subsequently went to men.

The administrative court in Berlin ruled that from now on the in-house equality commissioner in a government ministry must be consulted when top positions are filled. Up until now, ministers generally frowned on intervention in personnel decisions.

The 59-year-old, who has been in the post since 2001, said that although the appointments were made under a different minister (Kristina Schröder was replaced by the incumbent Manuela Schwesig last year), the same structures are still in place at the ministry. "There is still room for improvement," Rose-Möhring said.

The new family minister Schwesig – who, unlike her predecessor, is in favour of gender quota in management positions – introduced a new women's equality initiative on May 1st. She claims that there are more women in leading positions in the family ministry than in any other government ministry.

SEE ALSO: Germany wants 10,000 more women soldiers

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