by Paula Määttä

F. The role of the public sector

The advocacy of womens rights in various bodies has been established and institutionalized at the Federal and State levels. At the Federal level is the Ministry for Youth, Family, Women and Health. At state level, there is the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Women, the Berlin Senator for Women, Youth and Family, and the North Rhine-Westfalia Ministry for Equality of Men and Women. Womens equality commissions and units have been created within regional government at the state and local levels (Gleichstellungsstellen and Frauenbüros). (Shaw 1991, 21.)

Womens officers (Frauenbeauftragte) represent womens interests within particular units of public administration. Their tasks include the observance and implementation of provisions relating to women at work, and advancement of women in administration activities. Their powers are generally restricted to monitoring and advisory functions. (Weiss 1994, 60.)