Gender politics makes a difference: Experiences of the Heinrich Böll Foundation across the world
Gender policy, feminist analyses, and feminist discourses have held a firm place in the Heinrich Böll Foundation since its very beginning. Along with ecology and democracy, they are a key focus of our work in Germany and abroad, and a guiding principle for both the Foundation’s promotion of research and its own organizational structure.
Even more than our work within Germany, our work abroad is guided by the need to address a diversity of ways of life and forms of work, and a plurality of political cultures and strategies. It is rare, though, that we present our work outside Germany in such a concise form as in this booklet. The booklet aims to illustrate this diversity and show how the Heinrich Böll Foundation, with the help of its partners and networks, works toward the goal of a gender-equitable world. It is a very special feature that in every one of the Foundation’s 28 offices worldwide, we address the theme of gender policy. Yet that “ we” means very different things in the different locations (see the section headed “ 28 offices – and 28 responses ,” p. 7). The reports and analyses in this publication indicate which policy areas are currently being prioritized. Across all regions, our aim in terms of gender issues is to promote and support the critique of patriarchal and violent structures of power and domination and – especially – the struggle against those structures. We focus on all levels, whether social relationships, politics and economics, culture, or the public sphere.
Women experience particular discrimination and violence worldwide. The same is true for all those who do not fit the heterosexual norm. Lesbians, gay men, transgender and bisexual people – in most countries they are ostracized, in many they are brutally persecuted and killed.
Women and men across the world are standing their ground against social and political exclusion, against making their lives precarious, against the over exploitation of the environment, against oppression and violence. Sexual minorities are seeking allies in their own countries, while also creating coalitions and networks and publicizing their situation on a transnational scale. This is the point of departure for the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s commitment: the Foundation depends on gaining allies and partners.
In this publication, we present some of our experiences, both setbacks and successes. It is just a small sample of our work all over the world. Many of our partners and their projects have been supported not only by the Heinrich Böll Foundation but also by other funding sources and from other political contexts. If we highlight our own role here, we are very much aware that our politicaland financial contributions are often only part of a larger network; yet our work does make a difference – for more gender justice.
The texts in this booklet were researched and written by Renate Wilke-Launer. She brought together the many individual sources of information, corresponded with our offices worldwide, contacted our partner organizations, and talked to many people.
Synthesizing all that was a task that demanded great editing skill, sensitivity, and gender-political experience. The end result is a combination of analysis, reflection, reportage, and storytelling, reflecting the issues that move our colleagues in the offices worldwide.