Welcome

to the website of the Women and Gender Equality Bureau (FGB).

Gender Equality means giving equal opportunities to women and men, removing barriers and equally respecting the differing needs of men and women.

Our task is to permanently promote gender equality between men and women on all levels and in every part of the Mainz University Medical Center. We offer a broad variety of programs for people working at Mainz University Medical Center, both employees and leaders, to strengthen and support promoting gender equality.

Our legal basis can be found in the German constitution (GG), the state law for Gender Equality (LGG), the Higher Education Act (HochSchG), the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) and the Law for the University Medical Center of Mainz.

Our interdisciplinary team promotes the interests of men and women and all other gender identities. We offer advice on every aspect of gender and women issues and related projects and topics. The Equal Chances Committee supports our work.

Please feel free to  contact us, we are happy to counsel and support you.

Scientific Career

It is still difficult for women in Germany to make a successful career in medicine even though there are now more female doctors at registrar level. There are only 11% female full professors in Mainz, and 23% female assistant professors. The aim of the 2013 to 2019 Women`s Promotion Plan of giving every 3rd chair to a female professor has been grossly missed. Why is that so?

There are structural and institutional reasons for this:

About 20% of applications for professorships come from female applicants. They receive less support from their superiors and are less often encouraged to apply.

Publications and external funds play an important role in the appointment process for a chair, but women having children during their internship and scientific work tend to be less productive during this phase and therefore require some kind of compensation.

Experience in leadership and clinical experience play a less important role in the appointment process, although women tend to have better interpersonal and organisational skills. Those skills acquired within the family are often not valuated. In contrast to men, women having a family is seen as a risk factor for Leadership.

Appointment committees tend to vote for candidates resembling themselves, therefore men prefer men. Women are less represented in appointment committees and those present often are overburdened.

Taking care of patients and family and having high demands on their own accuracy and responsibility means that women have less time for scientific work, and they rarely receive support from their family or husband.

However, there are also individual reasons for having less women in top positions:

Women tend to focus on their weaknesses and inabilities instead of being self-assured and showing what they are capable of achieving.

Women underestimate the importance of networking and peer promotion, whilst social contacts and meetings are playing an increasing role in career making.

Leadership positions seem to be less attractive as they cause strain and are less compatible with family Tasks.

There are only a few good role models for women in leadership positions and they have often forgone having a family to pursue their career.

We are responding to these institutional and structural problems by constructively and critically supporting the appointment committees. We offer coaching, mentoring and counselling to help with individual difficulties and improve work-life Balance.

What is sexual harassment at work?

The General Act on Equal Treatment speaks of sexual harassment when

unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, including unwanted sexual acts and requests to carry out sexual acts, physical contact of a sexual nature, comments of a sexual nature, as well as the unwanted showing or public exhibition of pornographic images, takes place with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of the person concerned, in particular where it creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

 

We are offering confidential consultation to employees in any case of sexual harassment,

please contact 

 

Women and Gender Equality Office

Rooms 503-507
Building 601, Level 5

Langenbeckstr. 1
55131 Mainz

Tel.: 06131 17-3373
Fax: 06131 17-3375

Mail:  birgit.pfeiffer@unimedizin-mainz.de

 

Compatibility of work and family

The Mainz Medical University Center is trying to help work and family become more compatible.