Hundreds of leading female journalists demand compulsory introduction of quotas to ensure at least 30% of executive positions in the German media are held by women. Signatories of the open letter addressed to about 250 editors and publishers of the German media represent the campaign called Pro Quote. More than 650 women working in the German media have already joined the campaign at www.pro-quote.de.
The letter describes the current situation in the German media where women hold only 2% of the editor-in-chief positions at 360 German dailies and weeklies and only 3 of 12 director positions at public broadcasters. Top management of new magazines are exclusively in the hands of men. Signatories therefore require introducing the 30% quotas within five years. "You can do this?" they ask in the letter and "look forward to the answer" from the media management. They highlight that it is not only about fairness but it makes economic sense, too.
On of the German pioneers in the introduction of mandatory quotas for women in top managementis Deutsche Telecom. It was the first of company listed on the German Stock Exchange to introduce the 30% quota in 2010. The quotas have become a hot topic in Germany last year after Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen had asked all publicly traded companies to voluntarily introduce quotas.
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