3R - Recognize, Resist, Rise Up

Actively engaging in politics increasingly comes with the risk of becoming a target of hate and harassment – both online and offline [1]. At the same time, we are witnessing a backlash against the human rights of women and minorities. This backlash is aimed at their growing visibility and influence in positions of power, even though women in politics in Germany continue to be underrepresented at all levels, making up only about a third.

Violence in politics must never become normalized, nor should it be something that those who are engaged are simply expected to tolerate. For years, international institutions such as the European Union and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have emphasized that such attacks limit political participation, rights, and freedoms – and therefore must be addressed to protect and strengthen democracy.

This is where the project 3R – Recognize, Resist, Rise Up – Tackling Gender-Based Violence against Women in Politics comes in. Its goal is to protect women in politics from hate and harassment. It does so first by raising awareness of the issue, improving the safety, and securing access to decision-making of politically active women by sharing good practices to combat and guard against hate and harassment.

Collecting comparative data and developing measures to identify gender-based barriers and thresholds across the EU will help spread knowledge and effective practices across all participating EU countries. By gaining a clearer understanding of the interconnections, we can address these barriers more effectively. The project thus promotes gender equality in politics at all levels and fosters international exchange.