BSW on equality and diversity

The BSW wants to examine how the Selbstbestimmungsgesetz (Self-Determination Act) affects minors and sex-specific protected spaces. It bases its women's policy on biological sex and wants protected spaces separated by biological sex.

The BSW wants to review the Self-Determination Act. This law lets people change their legal gender entry. The BSW wants to know what it means for children and teenagers. Protected spaces for women should be separated by biological sex.

The review is to take place in the first two years of the legislative term and lead to a recommendation to the party's federal executive. The program lists sports, changing rooms, women's shelters and prisons as protected spaces. In the BSW's view, only a person's civil status can be changed, not their biological sex. The party cites Article 3 of the Basic Law as its foundation.

The BSW regards fighting violence against women as a state responsibility and wants permanent funding for women's shelters, counseling centers and safe housing. Forensic clinics for victims of violence are to be expanded statewide, femicides systematically recorded, and a state action plan on the Istanbul Convention adopted.

The BSW wants to protect women better from violence. Women's shelters and counseling centers should get enough money for the long term. There should be more clinics for victims of violence. These clinics examine and record injuries. The police should count killings of women carefully.

Protection should not depend on where someone lives or on a municipality's budget, and no shelter should fail for lack of space. Forensic clinics are to be secured long-term, including telemedicine services. The state criminal police office is to set up its own femicide monitoring to improve prevention and prosecution. The action plan on the Istanbul Convention should include clear responsibilities, regular reporting and civil society participation. The BSW wants protected spaces for vulnerable groups separated by biological sex.

In the longer term, the BSW wants to repeal Section 218 of the Criminal Code, which governs abortion. At the state level, access to abortion is to improve through care mandates, training and services close to home. The party considers current provision in Saxony-Anhalt insufficient.

The BSW wants to abolish Section 218 later on. This section makes abortion a crime. Women in Saxony-Anhalt should get an abortion more easily. There should be services close to home. Clinics and doctors should get incentives to take part.

The program commits to the right to reproductive self-determination, meaning free choice about pregnancy and motherhood. Clinics and doctors are to receive incentives to offer abortions. The party argues that the commercialization of health care endangers women's care, for example when rural maternity and gynecology wards close. Access to medical care should be secured regardless of place of residence and income.

The BSW wants to prevent the requirement for municipalities to appoint equal opportunity officers from being dropped. The party sees equality work as a constitutional mandate, not a bureaucratic luxury.

Towns and cities must have equal opportunity officers today. Some people want to end this duty. The BSW is against that. The party says equality is a duty under the constitution. Budget cuts should not hurt equality.

The program regards abolition as a harmful signal, including for equality staff in public institutions and companies. Austerity programs should not come at the expense of equality. The party also names equality of women, men and people with disabilities as a goal.

The BSW wants to secure equal rights for everyone regardless of sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and to protect minorities from violence. At the same time it calls for stricter quality checks on publicly funded counseling centers and does not consider debates over pronouns or flags at the state parliament a core political task.

The BSW wants equal rights for all people. The state should protect minorities from violence. Same-sex married couples should also be able to live safely. Counseling centers for minorities should be checked more closely. The BSW does not think fights over pronouns and flags are very important.

The program provides for awareness training in state institutions. The party promises same-sex married couples protection of their rights in a safe public sphere. It justifies the checks on counseling centers and meeting places by pointing to responsibility toward taxpayers. People should decide for themselves how they speak, write and which symbols they use. Counseling services for families are to be expanded.

The BSW wants to shield daycare centers and schools from what it regards as one-sided ideological influence. Concepts on gender, sexuality or identity should not be introduced there against parents' wishes. The party sees upbringing and teaching values as primarily the parents' job.

The BSW says parents are responsible for upbringing first. Daycare centers and schools should not bring in certain concepts against parents' wishes. This means concepts about gender, sexuality and identity. Protecting children should come first.

The restriction is to apply to state and municipal institutions. The program describes children and teenagers as an especially vulnerable group whose protection takes priority. Children's welfare must not be put at risk for political reasons, it says. At the same time, the party calls teaching practical skills for dealing with these topics in schools an open task.

The BSW wants targeted support for immigrant women and girls in training and job-seeking and more places in women's shelters. It also wants more social workers in youth work and continued state funding for projects against violence and extremism.

The BSW wants to give immigrant women and girls special help. They should get support with training and finding work. There should be more places in women's shelters. The party also wants more social workers for young people.

The plans also include help with family conflicts and native-language support for migrant women fleeing domestic violence. As an example of prevention work worth funding, the platform names projects run by the Hallesche Jugendwerkstatt. Close cooperation with mosque communities is meant to prevent Islamist infiltration. The goals also include expanding psychosocial care for refugees.