North Rhine-Westphalia Parliament to Discuss Enhanced Protection for Women and Children from Violence
Cologne, Germany – On Wednesday, March 8, 2023, the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Parliament will convene at 10:00 AM to debate a proposal aimed at strengthening the protection of women and children from violence. The parliamentary groups of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Greens have jointly submitted an Urgent Motion to address the recently enacted Violence Assistance Act, which has been approved by both the Bundestag (German parliament) and the Bundesrat (German federal council).
The Violence Assistance Act establishes a legal entitlement to protection and counseling for women and children affected by violence. It mandates that federal states establish adequate protective and counseling services. To achieve this, the federal government will provide states with €2.6 billion between 2027 and 2036. The legal right to free protection and counseling is set to come into effect on January 1, 2032.
According to the latest police report on gender-based violence, in 2023, nearly one woman was killed every day in Germany by a man, solely due to her gender. Additionally, approximately 400 women per day became victims of intimate partner violence.
The CDU and Green parliamentary groups in the NRW Parliament view the Violence Assistance Act as a "milestone" in the protection of women. They recognize that implementing the legal entitlement and expanding the infrastructure are the right steps, but acknowledge that these efforts will present challenges for states and municipalities.
As of the end of July 2024, NRW had approximately 700 shelter spaces for women, 743 shelter spaces for children, and 20 additional shelter spaces for men, as per a response by the state government to a query from the Social Democratic Party (SPD). According to data from the Ministry for Equal Opportunities from the summer of 2024, NRW funds 70 women’s shelters. Furthermore, the state co-finances five protective housing units for men.
Additional Background Information
The Violence Assistance Act, passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat, is a comprehensive legislative measure designed to enhance the protection of women and children from violence. The Act introduces the following key provisions:
- Establishes a legal entitlement to protection and counseling for women and children affected by violence.
- Mandates federal states to establish adequate protective and counseling services.
- Provides federal funding of €2.6 billion between 2027 and 2036 to support the implementation of protective and counseling services.
- Sets the legal right to free protection and counseling to come into effect on January 1, 2032.
According to the police report on gender-based violence, in 2023, approximately 144 women were killed in Germany by men, with the primary motive being the victim’s gender. This translates to roughly one woman being killed every 2.5 days. Additionally, the report indicates that around 145,000 women became victims of intimate partner violence, equating to approximately 400 women per day.
The CDU and Green parliamentary groups in the NRW Parliament have emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the protection of women and children from violence. They have expressed their commitment to working collaboratively to ensure the effective implementation of the Violence Assistance Act and to allocate sufficient resources to support protective and counseling services.
The NRW Parliament’s debate on the Urgent Motion is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at 10:00 AM. The outcome of the debate will be closely monitored by organizations and individuals working to combat violence against women and children.
