International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: Standing Together

It is a quiet moment when the flag begins to rise – a touch of colour in the grey of November. A visible sign against a form of violence that too often remains unseen.
On 25 November 2025 at 11 am, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) will again raise the flag to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – in front of Building 1 on Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, together with strong partners from across the city and district. All members of the university and all community members who wish to stand with us are warmly invited to attend.

Since 1981, this day of remembrance has honoured women and girls worldwide who have been subjected to violence. It traces its origins to the murder of the three Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic, who fought for freedom and justice. In 1999, the United Nations formally recognised 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Today, the day stands as a global call to end gender-based violence – whether physical, psychological, digital or structural.

And the reality remains alarming:

• A femicide occurs almost every day.
• Every two days, a man kills his (former) partner.
• 63% of politically active women experience digital violence.
• More than 90% of young women report strong to extreme fear when encountering unknown men at night.

These figures make one thing clear: violence against women is not a marginal issue. It affects us as a society – and as a university.

HNEE is not standing alone. The flag-raising will be supported by:

• Barnim Women's Network
• City of Eberswalde, represented by Katrin Forster-König (Equal Opportunities Officer) and Mayor Götz Herrmann
• District of Barnim, represented by Dr Sylvia Setzkorn (Equal Opportunities Officer) and District Administrator Daniel Kurth
• HNEE, represented by Prof Dr Matthias Barth (President) and the Equal Opportunities Officers Jenny Pöller and Dr Nadine Herold

The event will feature music by artist Vera Thaxton.

Together, we reaffirm a simple truth: respect, equality and a life free from violence are non-negotiable.

The flag-raising is part of the nationwide campaign “Universities Take a Stand”. It expresses a conviction we share: an attack on one person is an attack on us all.

When women, students or researchers are threatened – online, in public spaces or within institutions – the wellbeing of our entire democratic and supportive university community is at stake.

That is why we stand side by side against hate speech, violence and exclusion, and for an open, diverse and respectful university.

Sources : BKA: Bundeslagebild Häusliche Gewalt 2023 / BKA: Bundeslagebild Geschlechtsspezifisch gegen Frauen gerichtete Straftaten 2023 / HateAid and Technical University of Munich: "Angegriffen & Alleingelassen" / Institute for Intergenerational Research: Jugendtrendstudie 2025