Women in Local Leadership

Women remain significantly underrepresented in US politics. This is where the "Women in Local Leadership" project stepped in: How do we attract more women to politics? Despite our differences, what can we learn from one another? How do we change political culture? And why is local politics so important as the foundation of democracy?

From October 2018 to the end of 2019, a "Year of German-American Friendship" took place in the USA. Under the slogan "Wunderbar together," a series of projects across the United States in the fields of business, politics, education, culture, and science highlighted the unique importance of transatlantic relations. The Year of German-American Friendship was funded by the Federal Foreign Office and implemented locally by the Goethe-Institut.

Within this framework, the EAF Berlin project "Women in Local Leadership" promoted exchange with local female politicians from the state of Ohio. On the German side, the non-partisan network of Helene Weber Prize winners participated. The Helene Weber Prize is awarded for outstanding achievements by women in local politics.

The project began with a visit from our American partners. In November 2018, we jointly celebrated the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in Berlin.
In May 2019, a joint symposium on women's policy was held in Columbus, Ohio, attended by a delegation of EAF colleagues and Helene Weber Prize winners. The trip included visits to the State House, a luncheon with state senators, and participation in a local chamber of commerce's Parliament Day, which featured a panel discussion on women in politics and their unique experiences. The focus, however, was on a half-day symposium and a subsequent diversity training session, as well as exchange between the participants. The trip concluded with a visit to the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN).

Under the "Wunderbar Together" banner, this initiative continued in 2020, giving EAF Berlin the opportunity to further contribute to this mutual understanding through its "Women in Local Leadership" project.