On Saturday evening, 7 March 2026, more than 60 interested parties accepted the invitation of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen in the Main-Kinzig district and in Hanau for a panel discussion entitled ‘Protecting women – acting locally, thinking globally’. Together with the Hessian member of the Bundestag Omid Nouripour, the mayor candidate for Hanau Sascha Feldes, the top candidate for the district election Mahwish Iftikhar as well as Lea Kircher and Brigitte Machnitzke from the Frauenhaus Wächtersbach, the participants discussed strategies for effectively combating violence against women and improving shelters.
The focus was on the pressing challenges: bureaucratic hurdles in re-registration, child benefit or citizen benefit applications, lack of availability of housing and often too long stays in the existing women's shelters. Especially in rural areas, such as Wächtersbach, the lack of infrastructure and limited public transport makes access to protection more difficult.
Omid Nouripour stressed that violence against women should not be understood as a ‘women’s problem’, but as a responsibility for society as a whole. He appealed to both men and society as a whole not to see equality exclusively as a women's issue, and referred to international role models such as the women's strike in Iceland.
Sascha Feldes highlighted the importance of education, prevention and direct contacts for women's shelters in the municipalities in order to better protect women. Mahwish Iftikhar highlighted the importance of taking women's protection seriously and also focusing on material issues such as housing and secure funding for women's shelters.
The representatives of the women's shelter Wächtersbach made it clear that domestic violence is a problem for society as a whole, which runs through all social strata, and pointed out that a large number of children are also affected. Equality between women and men must continue to be consistently implemented. A fully funded women's shelter is a key step in ensuring protection and safety for all.
The discussion clearly showed: To advance women's equality and safety, politics, society and administration must work together, raise awareness and break down structural barriers. With clear policies, structural support and awareness raising, the GREEN Main-Kinzig and Hanau want to further strengthen the protection of women – for a secure future for all on the ground.
English (UK)