Basis for action

It is the duty of the Central Equal Opportunities Officer to represent and realise the interests of women who are members of the University. She must possess a university degree or recognised comparable specialist qualification. She seeks to incorporate aspects relevant to equal opportunities into the duties realised by the University, in particular in academic, administrative and technical work, in development planning and in the performance-oriented award of funding.

To this end, she can participate in meetings of the Senate and Rectorate, the faculty councils, the appointment commissions and other bodies, and has the right to submit motions and speak at such meetings. The Central Equal Opportunities Officer/Equal Opportunities Officer of the corresponding department are invited to appointment commission meetings and provided with information in the same way as regular members. They have the right to speak, to submit motions and to object to decisions – in particular personnel/selection decisions – where legal provision is made for this.

Pursuant to Art. 24 of the Higher Education Act (Hochschulgesetz – HG), it is the duty of the Central Equal Opportunities Officer “to represent and realise the interests of women who are members of the university” and, to this end, to “incorporate aspects relevant to women into the duties realised by the University, in particular in academic work and in the performance-oriented award of funding”.

Her statutory duties are also defined in Art. 17 of the State Act on Equal Treatment (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz – LGG):
(1) The Central Equal Opportunities Officer supports and advises the organisation and works toward the realisation of this law, as well as all regulations and measures, which have or can have consequences for equal opportunities for women and men. Her involvement relates in particular to:
1. Personnel measures, incl. job advertisements, selection procedures and interviews
2. Organisational measures
3. Social measures
4. Coordination of the formulation and amendment of the Gender Equality Framework Plan, preparation of the report on the implementation of the Gender Equality Framework Plan or the conceptual development of alternative models pursuant to Art. 6A
5. Planning projects of fundamental importance for employment relationships or working conditions in the organisation
The Central Equal Opportunities Officer participates in review meetings and the position evaluation commission, and has the same status as other members.

(2) The duties of the Central Equal Opportunities Officer also include providing advice and support for employees on issues relating to equal opportunities for women and men.

The Central Equal Opportunities Officer of Marien University Hospital & School fulfils her duties by providing comprehensive advice, support and encouragement for female students and employees.

Networking meet-ups, receptions and a mentoring programme offer further opportunities for dialogue and promotion of female university members. A further focus of equal opportunities work includes supporting a balance between family and studies/work.

In order to help employees balance work and family, the University provides a Family Support Centre on campus. The Centre offers MUHS employees advice on all family-relevant topics and issues relating to childcare, and supports parents/guardians in finding care solutions for everyday and emergency situations (e.g. illness or work commitments).

On the basis of Art. 2 (4) Sentence 1 of the Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Hochschulgesetz NRW – HG NRW) of 16 September 2014 (Gazette of Laws and Ordinances of North-Rhine Westphalia (GV NRW), page 574), Marien University Hospital & School Gelsenkirchen has adopted the following Constitution. Please note that the document is only available in German.

Marien University Hospital & School Gelsenkirchen develops concepts and measures aimed at increasing the proportion of women in all areas in which they are under-represented. With the Gender Equality Framework Plan (formerly: plan for the advancement of women), the Senate is aiming to implement the EU Equality Framework Directive, the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz – GG), the Constitution of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the MUHS Constitution. Please note that the documents are only available in German.

The accountability report by the Central Equal Opportunities Officer provides information on duties and measures in the area of equal opportunities, current challenges and targets achieved. Please note that the document is only available in German.

In 2021, the University management published its interim report on the Gender Equality Framework Plan of Marien University Hospital & School Gelsenkirchen (MUHS) for 2019 – 2023. Pursuant to Art. 5 (7) LGG NRW, the interim report serves to provide a review of the achievement of the targets set out in the Framework Plan and offer the opportunity to add any measures and modify any strategies where it becomes apparent that the targets cannot be achieved by 2023. 

The interim report on the Gender Equality Framework Plan also includes the interim reports on the gender equality plans of the faculties and central institutions.

Measures to promote gender equality, enable a balance between work/studies and family, and reduce the under-representation of women form the object of the Gender Equality Framework Plan and gender equality plans (Art. 6 (1) LGG NRW).

This version of the current interim report on the Gender Equality Framework Plan was noted with assent by the MUHS Senate on 23 February 2021. Please note that the document is only available in German.

On the basis of Arts. 2 (4) and 24 (4) HG NRW of 16 September 2014 (GV NRW, page 574) and in conjunction with Art. 11 of the Constitution of Marien University Hospital & School Gelsenkirchen, the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Senate of Marien University Hospital & School Gelsenkirchen has adopted the following Rules of Procedure. Please note that the document is only available in German.

The basis for the work of the Central Equal Opportunities Officer is the Act on the Equal Treatment of Women and Men for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia – the so-called State Act on Equal Treatment (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz – LGG) – which came into force on 9 November 1999. Please note that the document is only available in German.
This act serves to realise the basic right to equal treatment of women and men as enshrined in Art. 3 (2) of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz – GG): “Men and women shall have equal rights. The state shall promote the actual implementation of equal rights for women and men and take steps to eliminate disadvantages that now exist.”

The Higher Education Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (Hochschulgesetz NRW – HG NRW) forms the framework for the higher education landscape in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is focused on improving teaching and study success. Functioning elements are strengthened, while regulations that have proven not to be practicable are eliminated. The guiding principle of the amendment is to strengthen the autonomy of higher education institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia and their powers to shape their own activities. Please note that the document is only available in German.

The Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz – WissZeitVG) stipulates that academic personnel may only be employed for a fixed term of max. 6 years per qualification phase.
But what if the working phase has to be interrupted due to bringing up a child or caring for relatives? Can maternity leave and parental leave periods be “added on”? And how does this affect the maximum duration of fixed-term employment mentioned above?
The Central Equal Opportunities Officer answers all these questions in her information document “Nachdienen nach WissZeitVG” (“Extensions to employment periods under the WissZeitVG”).

The Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act

To protect all employees and students who have been or are affected by sexualised incidents, MUHS has not only published guidelines on dealing with sexualised discrimination and violence (see below), but also provides various points of contact for complaints and advice.

MUHS guidelines on dealing with sexualised discrimination and violence

The purpose of the German General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – AGG), which entered into force in 2006, is to prevent or stop discrimination on the grounds of Race or ethnic origin, Gender, Religion or belief, Disability, Age or Sexual orientation. Legislators have explicitly stipulated that employees have the right to lodge complaints.

Complaints Office pursuant to Art. 13 General Act on Equal Treatment