Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Government Programmes - Germany

Immediate Assistance Programme to Reduce Youth Unemployment

The programme was initiated by the Federal Institute for Employment and the Federal Government earmarked DM 2 billion for this programme that aimed to provide training, qualification and employment opportunities for 100,000 young people. The programme aims to promote gender mainstreaming and to overcome occupational desegregation. Examples of activities include:

1. In all spheres within the assistance programme, a quota for young women is to be implemented. Young women are to receive promotion that corresponds to their percentage of all unplaced training applicants or unemployed persons.
2. There will be a particular emphasis on placing women in future and technically oriented occupations that require formal training, and professional spheres that have disproportionately low numbers of women.
3. Through the granting of wage cost subsidies, employment Offices are to ensure and promote the accessibility of women to areas of work that are seen as atypical for women.

Third Universities Special Programme in the Science Sector

The programme is administered by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. The emphasis is on providing reintegration grants, contact and special doctorate programmes for women. The plan of action also aims to create a 20% niche of women doctorates by the year 2000. The programme is to be continued in the follow-up plans of the Third University Special Programme (HSP-Nachfolgemassnahme) commencing in 2001. The Government has earmarked DM 10 Million per year for the programme.

Special funding was also granted to finance 100 permanent positions for women scientists at the Hermann von Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forshungszentren (association of German research centres), thereby also increasing the percentage of women in management.

An example of gender mainstreaming in the higher education constitution can be found in the region of Baden-Württenberg, article 3(A) (German)

The provincial higher education law provision pledges its commitment to the five year HSP III programme and establishes the mechanism by which a women commissioner is to be appointed.