An open letter
Dear Senator Kalayci,
Dear Members of the Berlin House of Representat
On June 22, 2021, the Berlin Senate Department for Health, Care and Equality passed its draft budget for 2022/23. On the cut list are the feminist centers and their projects with significant sums.
Space2groW is also affected and is to be cut altogether. This must not be allowed!
The empowerment project by and for refugee and migrant women has since 2017 advised, accompanied, informed and empowered more than 2,000 women from over 20 countries in 15 languages.
Space2groW is a community-based service that focuses on the specific needs and barriers of refugee and migrant women. Since the beginning, the topics of anti-racism, reproductive health, and physical and sexual self-determination have been part of the workshops offered.
Since the corona pandemic, we have also been active as mentors for women affected by domestic violence. Due to the pandemic-related lockdowns, the situation of refugee women has further deteriorated and Space2groW's work is needed more than ever.
It is politically and professionally unacceptable that this essential work and concrete assistance for refugee and immigrant women should be cut! Space2groW is a 'must have', not a 'nice to have'.
Our work falls under both the funding categories of "counseling and assistance services for foreign women," "measures against violence against women," and "women's self-help projects," and is connected to the feminist center Frauenkreise, which has been in existence for 30 years. Space2groW was awarded the 1st prize of the German Integration Award of the Hertie Foundation in 2018.
How much more does a project have to do to receive secure funding?
Space2groW should definitely be funded further and actually with more positions and funds nationwide so that this model project can reach as many women as possible and necessary.
Space2groW is empowerment, anti-racism, family planning, women's health and at the same time labor market integration, violence protection and prevention!
With this letter, we appeal to the decision makers and demand that the work of the Space2groW project be financially secured in the long term!
The voices of women with flight and migration histories count! Whoever is serious about gender equality policy must securely fund intersectional feminist work!
We will not give up until Space2groW and all other feminist projects in Berlin affected by cuts are securely funded!
With kind regards
The team of Space2groW and Frauenkreise-Berlin
Supporters:
ABA - Aktionsbündnis Antira Amina Aziz, Journalist*in BASTA Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung DIE LINKEqueer Berlin/Brandenburg Die Urbane. Eine HipHop Partei
Dr. Mithu Melanie Sanyal Frauenkrisentelefon e.V. Frauenprojekte Treptow-Köpenick Hengameh Yaghoobifarah, Autor*in und Journalist*in InteraXion - Willkommensbüro und Wohnraumberatung Interkulturelles Frauenzentrum S.U.S.I. International Women* Space
Line Göttke, Projektleiterin Verband für interkulturelle Arbeit (VIA) Magda Albrecht, Autorin und politische Referentin
Nina Nissen, Forscherin, Dozentin und Autorin
Prof. Dr. Daniel Bendix, Theologische Hochschule Friedensau
Refugees Emancipation Refugee Law Clinic Berlin e.V.
RomaTrial e.V.
Stadt von Unten Thelma Buabeng, Schauspielerin
Verband für interkulturelle Arbeit (VIA) Regionalverband Berlin/Brandenburg e.V.
PIA BERLIN
Omas gegen Rechts
pro familia Landesverband Berlin e.V.
FLINTA*Stadt (AK der Mieter*innengewerkschaft)
Anonyme Anwohnende / queer-feministisches Performance Kollektiv
Seebrücke Berlin
Dick und Dünn e.V.
Dziewuchy Berlin
Lesbenberatung Berlin e.V. / LesMigras
Landesfrauenrat Berlin
i-Päd – intersektionale Pädagogik
Gunda-Werner-Institut
Sigrid Werner
Feministische Partei DIE FRAUEN
Landesmitfrauenverband Berlin
Netzwerk reproduktive Gerechtigkeit
GLADT e.V.
AK Mutterschaft und Feminismus Neukölln X-berg
FrauenComputerZentrumBerlin e.V.
Elaheh Rezaei
Women in Exile
Paula Panke e.V.
Trixiewiz e.V.
Kali Feminists
Spinnboden Lesbenarchiv & Bibliothek e.V.
Tupoka Ogette, Antirassismustrainerin und Autorin
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