Nina Lawrenz was elected to the bukof board as the central women's* and gender equality officer at ASH Berlin by the bukof general meeting on September 19, 2025 at the annual conference.
The Federal Conference of Women's and Equal Opportunities Officers at Universities (bukof) is the gender policy voice in the discourse on science and higher education policy. The bukof brings together all those who shape the structure and culture of universities in Germany in a gender-equitable way. Organized as a non-profit association, its members are the universities, represented by their women and gender equality stakeholders. The Executive Board brings bukof's concerns to the attention of politicians, academics, universities and the media, thereby helping to achieve bukof's goals.
The election of Nina Lawrenz as bukof board member recognizes her many years of experience and expertise in the field of intersectional gender equality work. Nina Lawrenz and her team in the Office of the Women's* and Gender Equality Officer at ASH Berlin have succeeded time and again, even in the face of resistance, in setting clear accents for the reduction of gender-based discrimination at ASH Berlin despite the difficult conditions (social climate hostile to equality, savings due to budget cuts).
This year's bukof annual conference was entitled "Gender Democracy" and thus emphasized that gender equality, protection against sexualized discrimination and violence and against anti-feminist attacks are part of a democratic and open university. However, these guiding principles are increasingly coming under political pressure. The focus was therefore on the question of how universities can secure, expand and shape spaces for equality and anti-discrimination. In times when democratic achievements are being massively attacked and questioned, clear attitudes, alliances based on solidarity and new alliances are needed.
As members of the central and the two decentralized Women's* and Gender Equality Councils of ASH Berlin, we are very pleased that our esteemed colleague Nina Lawrenz is now also promoting gender equality issues at federal level. We congratulate her warmly and wish her a productive term of office. We are happy to take on the current challenges in cooperation with the entire team from theIntersectional Practice and Transformation (InPuT) department at ASH Berlin!
