Projects and events

Visible signs in the city

"Violence is not an option for me!"

One week before Orange Day, the campaign "Violence is not in my bag!" was launched. Several Chemnitz bakeries - including Emil Reimann GmbH and NOMAD Bakery as the main supporters - are distributing bread bags with important offers of help from the city and the international aid hand symbol. This joint initiative by Frauenhilfe Chemnitz e.V. and the municipal equal opportunities officer draws attention to low-threshold support options for those affected in everyday life.

Benches for remembrance and as a memorial

Last year, Frauenhilfe Chemnitz e.V. set up old pink benches along the Chemnitz river. They commemorate Valeriya N. and Andrea N., two women who were killed by their husbands during their stay at the Chemnitz women's refuge. On 25 November 2025, Frauenhilfe Chemnitz e.V. will affix plaques to the benches that refer to the association's two projects as support services for victims of domestic violence: the women's and children's shelter and the Intervention and Coordination Centre for Combating Domestic Violence and Stalking (IKOS). Masoma S. is also commemorated with another plaque for the femicide that took place on 24 September 2025.

Esse shines orange

Chemnitz will also shine orange in public spaces on 25 November: The energy supplier Eins Energie in Sachsen GmbH & Co KG will illuminate only the orange-coloured section of the Esse that evening as a widely visible sign against violence against women.

International Women's Day and Chemnitz Women's Weeks

International Women's Day

International Women's Day has a long tradition. It goes back to the women's labour movement in the mid-19th to 20th century. The II. International Socialist Women's Conference, which was initiated by the German socialist Clara Zetkin and attended by more than 100 delegates from 17 countries, decided on 27 August 1910 to introduce an annual International Women's Day.

The first International Women's Day was held on 19 March 1911 in Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the USA. The political demand on this day was for active and passive voting rights for women. More than one million women took to the streets in favour of this. Since 1921, 8 March has been the international day of remembrance on which women draw attention to their rights.

Every year in Chemnitz, the International Women's Day celebrations are organised by the Equal Opportunities Officer and the Chemnitz Women's Initiative Network.

For several years now, the Chemnitz Women's Weeks have been held around 8 March, offering a wide range of events with various stakeholders.

European Charter for Equality between women and men at local level

On 25 April 2012, on the initiative of the City Council, the City of Chemnitz decided to join the European Charter for Equality between Women and Men at local level.

The charter is a declaration of intent by the municipality in which it publicly and formally commits itself to the principle of equality between women and men with the aim of actually implementing it. The deed of accession was signed by Mayor Barbara Ludwig on 15 October 2012. The kick-off event took place on 20 November 2012 at DAStietz.

The municipality has thus undertaken to involve institutions and organisations in the process and to draw up and publish an equality action plan tailored to local needs.

Joining the charter opens up the opportunity to pursue strategically systematic and targeted equality work based on the broad participation of various stakeholders. The action plan is binding and offers concrete goals and measures in a manageable timeframe and thus a transparent and verifiable basis. Achieved standards are secured. Politics and administration are given new impetus to integrate gender equality approaches into their day-to-day work. The decision to join was prepared by an inter-party working group and the Equal Opportunities Officer. A steering group was formed consisting of members of the parliamentary group and experts in the field.

The action plan was drawn up as part of a participatory process. Nine workshops and an information event were held. The action plan was presented to the City Council in November 2015.

With this accession, Chemnitz is facing up to the international comparison and competition of cities in terms of implementing equality and equal opportunities for women and men locally.

Day against violence against women

At the 83rd plenary session on 17 December 1999, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, also known as the "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women".

At that time, the General Assembly expressed "concern that women do not fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and concern at the continuing failure to protect and promote these rights and freedoms in cases of violence against women". Every year, the International Day of Remembrance aims to draw public attention to violence against women and focus on strategies to combat it.

Flag campaign by Terre des Femmes

The flag campaign organised by Terre des Femmes is now known throughout Germany. On 25 November 2001, the women's rights organisation flew the flags for the first time to send out a signal against violence against women. Since then, the campaign has been taken up and carried on by numerous women's and equal opportunities officers, parties, associations and ministries, including in Chemnitz.