Important exchange

Getting to know the local players, exchanging experiences, recording wishes and needs and discussing important steps - these were the aims of the new Thuringian Equal Opportunities Commissioner, Nadja Sthamer, when she visited Jena yesterday. Sthamer has held this office since 01.08.2025.

At the invitation of Jena's Women's and Equal Opportunities Officer Dr. Kerstin Haupt, Sthamer met with the main players from Jena at the TOWANDA women's center: Melanie Schulz and Marie Härtling were on site for TOWANDA. Anna Lins spoke from the Jena women's shelter. Wolfgang Volkmer was there as the managing director of Kindersprachbrücke Jena e.V., which has been running the women's shelter in Jena since the beginning of the year. Ole Garleff presented the A4 project of the specialist advice center for men who have experienced violence in a partnership or close social environment.

Michael Kaden from ÜAG gGmbH was present. The background to this is that the amended Thuringian Equal Opportunities Promotion Act provides for a state-funded shelter for non-female victims of violence. The Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Labour and Family will draw up a corresponding legal ordinance by the end of the year and organize the call for tenders. The Jena Equal Opportunities Officer had commissioned a feasibility study for this project, which has just been completed. ÜAG gGmbH intends to apply to be the sponsoring association for this new facility.

Dr. Kerstin Haupt:

"This meeting was very important for us in Jena. On the one hand, to show the new state equal opportunities commissioner how the work works "on the ground" - but also for our regional stakeholders, who were able to ask questions about the state government's strategy on the topic of protection against violence "at short notice"."