Women's Policy in Focus: April 2026 in Düsseldorf

Women's Portal and Digital Violence: Düsseldorf's Gender Equality Policy in April 2026

Gender equality and equal opportunities for women and girls are central issues in municipal politics – and in Düsseldorf, the Committee for Equality and Anti-Discrimination focused extensively on these topics in April 2026. The discussions on a Women's Portal on the city's homepage and the challenges in combating digital violence illustrate how complex and current these issues are.

The Proposal for a Women's Portal: An Opportunity for Greater Visibility?

The proposal by the parliamentary group Die Linke for the establishment of a Women's Portal on the homepage of the State Capital City of Düsseldorf was a central point of the meeting on April 28, 2026. The aim of the portal is to provide an overview of women-relevant topics such as work, education, family, care, LGBTIQ+, and safety. With almost 338,591 women in the city – making up just under 51.33 percent of the population – the target group is large.

Role models for the portal can be found in Bremen, where a similar "Women's Pages" portal is already established. However, the proposal was rejected with 6 yes votes and 15 no votes. Criticism came mainly from conservative quarters, which questioned the effort and necessity of the portal. Nevertheless, the debate on greater digital visibility for women in Düsseldorf is not over – rather, it is an indicator of the political debate on equality in the digital age.

Digital Violence: An Underestimated, but Real Threat

Digital violence was also in the spotlight in the same context. Düsseldorf has become more engaged with this issue in recent years – yet significant gaps remain in prevention and counseling. In counseling work with girls aged 10 to 14, digital violence is widespread and often part of relationship violence, such as through spyware, stalking, or the distribution of intimate images.

Although counseling centers in Düsseldorf, such as the Women's Advisory Center or the International Women's Shelter of the AWO, offer informational materials and training, there is a lack of specialized counseling services. The staff are often pedagogical professionals, not IT experts. In addition, technical support for affected individuals is limited – replacement phones, SIM cards, and coordinated procedures for deleting content or securing evidence are lacking.

A central demand from the meeting was therefore the establishment of a specialized unit for digital violence that combines counseling, prevention, and technical support. Moreover, better networking with law enforcement agencies, IT departments, and youth services is required. Digital violence must be recognized as a real form of gender-based violence and integrated into the support system.

Cooperation and Structures: Where is Düsseldorf?

Düsseldorf is part of state-wide networks for anti-discrimination and works closely with institutions such as the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency or the NRW-wide network of the Istanbul Convention. In addition, the city is active in state-level processes, such as the development of guidelines or expert discussions on LGBTIQ+ issues.

There are also initiatives within the city itself aimed at raising awareness and education. For example, Düsseldorf has launched a pilot project with QR codes on street signs that provide information about historical women. This initiative, developed in cooperation with the Office for Equality and Anti-Discrimination, is being evaluated for expansion – another step toward increasing the visibility of women in the city.

Outlook: More than a Portal – an Entire System

The debate on a Women's Portal is only one piece of the puzzle. The topics of equality, digital violence, and anti-discrimination are closely interlinked and require a holistic approach. Düsseldorf has made progress in recent years – but the challenges remain significant. The establishment of a specialized unit for digital violence, more technical expertise in counseling centers, and better networking between the administration, police, and civil society are necessary to better protect women and girls in the digital world.

The gender distribution in municipal bodies also remains an issue. As of April 2026, the share of women in supervisory and administrative boards was 35%, and in management teams 26%. Although an increase compared to previous years, this indicates further action is needed – not only in Düsseldorf, but in municipal politics as a whole.

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