CDU on equality and diversity

The Saarland CDU supports adding protection against discrimination based on sexual identity to the Grundgesetz (Basic Law, Germany's constitution). It wants to evaluate, revise and continue the state action plan against homophobia and transphobia.

The CDU says no one should be treated worse because of their sexual identity. Saarland's state constitution already says this. The CDU wants the national constitution to say it too. The state's plan against hostility should be checked and updated.

The platform notes that Saarland's constitution has listed sexual identity in its equal treatment article since 2011, while the Basic Law does not yet do so. People should be able to live without disadvantage regardless of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. An evaluation is to examine how the state action plan has been implemented and what effect it has had. The plan is to be adjusted on that basis.

The CDU wants to create a specialist office for accessibility at the state's social affairs ministry. It is to advise people affected and those who implement accessibility, and coordinate the work, so that people with disabilities can take part in daily life on equal terms.

Many people in Saarland have a disability. They should be able to take part everywhere. For this, barriers must go, for example in buildings, buses and online. The CDU wants a new office that gives advice on this.

According to the platform, almost one in four people in Saarland has a recognized disability, and even more live with other limitations. The text says accessibility ranges from construction and transportation to online services. The new office is to be based at the social affairs ministry and advise both affected people and those responsible for putting accessibility into practice. The CDU sees this as a step toward more inclusion.

The CDU wants to promote voluntary, unpaid blood donation and supports ending exclusions or deferrals based on a person's sexual or gender identity. Only individual risk behavior is to count. The platform justifies this with the growing shortage of blood supplies.

There are too few blood donations. Until now, some people could not donate because of their sexual identity. The CDU wants to change that. Only a person's own risky behavior should matter.

According to the platform, about 100,000 active donors drop out nationwide each year due to age or illness, while demand rises with more elderly patients. The CDU sees the regional supply of blood products in Saarland as a growing challenge. The medical safety of donations and recipients is to remain the priority. At the same time, groups excluded so far are to be able to donate and help meet demand.

The CDU calls for an independent commissioner for equal participation at the level of the state government. She is to work with women's organizations, advise women's representatives and encourage companies to advance equality. The state equality law is to be reviewed and adjusted.

The CDU wants a new state commissioner for equality. She should be independent. She should advise women's groups, public agencies and companies. The state's equality law should also be reviewed.

The commissioner is to support women's representatives in municipalities and public agencies and also serve as a contact point for businesses and trade associations. Companies are to be encouraged to advance equality and apply laws such as the federal law on women in leadership positions. Links to the Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz (AGG, General Equal Treatment Act) could be presented to make discrimination against women visible. The Landesgleichstellungsgesetz (LGG, state equality act) is to be evaluated and changed at key points.

The CDU wants to create dedicated education and training programs for girls and women in the digital field and give female founders more targeted support. Women are to have equal access to venture capital, since significantly more men than women currently start businesses.

Few women work in the digital sector. Most new companies are started by men. The CDU wants to change that. There should be special courses for girls and women. Women who start a business should get more advice and money.

The plans include special initial and further training programs as well as coding and digital skills offerings for girls and women, from daycare to university. Female founders are to get more individual advice, better networks and stronger financial support; start-up and growth financing in Saarland is to improve overall. An information and motivation campaign is to show successful examples in schools, vocational training and universities. More women are to work in start-up advising, also serving as role models.

The CDU wants women and men to hold leadership positions on equal terms in politics, public administration, business and society. For the state's committees and supervisory boards, it calls for binding targets that lead toward parity.

Women should be leaders as often as men. The CDU wants this in politics, public agencies and companies. State boards should have fixed targets for the share of women. In the end, half of the seats should go to women.

The demand covers leadership positions in politics, public administration, business and society. Specifically, women are to be given greater consideration on the state's committees and supervisory boards. According to the platform, the targets are to be mandatory and aim at parity.