Women's rights in focus: New fight for fair wages and better protection!

Women's rights in focus: New fight for fair wages and better protection!

On International Women's Day, March 7, 2025, numerous advances for women's rights were announced. Petra Oberrauner, the Carinthian SPÖ state women's chairwoman, and Women's Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner presented measures that are intended to guarantee fair pay, the best health care and a violence-free life for women. “We are actively committed to fair wages and better career opportunities,” emphasized Oberrauner, while she promised the implementation of the EU wage transparency directive and a program to combat inflation, including a rent freeze. In addition, a national action plan to protect against violence is being expanded, including through the introduction of ankle bracelets after entry bans.

Value of unpaid work

Significant progress in equality makes governance visible: for the first time, the value of unpaid work is recognized in the government program. “The well-being that women often have to put aside can no longer remain hidden,” says Sara Schaar, the state councilor for women. Additional measures also include promoting equality in health care. Oberrauner announced the introduction of tax breaks for contraceptives as well as more consistent treatment of diseases such as endometriosis and better care during menopause as well as free menstrual products.

Progress in the area of ​​women's rights is timely and urgently needed, as changes in society are needed more than ever. According to reports from klick-kaernten.at The introduction and increased promotion of gender medicine is another central point on Oberrauner's agenda. This also includes supporting women in research and innovation to ensure that pressing issues are viewed from a feminist perspective, especially in promising areas such as artificial intelligence, as Schaar further explained.