Luxembourg Unveils Activity Programme for Centenary of Women's Suffrage

On 8 May 2019, Luxembourg will celebrate 100 years since the introduction of women's suffrage.

The Ministry of Equality between Women and Men, and its many partners, is organising a series of activities to both celebrate this anniversary and to engage people in Luxembourg on the topic of gender equality.

The law of 15 May 1919, adopted on 8 May, reformed the Luxembourg Constitution and the democratic process in the Grand Duchy altogether: women could vote for the first time in Luxembourgish history. Despite having no big feminist movement like the suffragettes in the UK and France, there were several people fighting for these voting rights for women in Luxembourg. This year's centenary celebrations aim to honour these pioneers.

Planned activities include an academic session on 22 May at Cercle Cité in Luxembourg-Ville (with special guest historian Dr. Birte Förster from Homboldt Universität Berlin), the travelling exhibition "100 ans de démocratie féminin" (currently on display at the Luxembourg City Bierger-Center until 17 May), the "MEGA JUMPER" awareness van which will visit various schools across the country from mid-June until October 2019 and two events at the Rockhal in Esch-sur-Alzette. These events, in partnership with the Rockhal, are: the third Screaming Fields Song Contest (under the theme "It's called democracy stupid", chosen by the Ministry of Equality), on 13 July and a youth festival called "Rock de Rack" on 17 October 2019.

As underlined by Taina Bofferding, Minister of Equality between Women and Men, at a press conference at the Bierger-Center this morning, most of the events planned for this centenary are aimed at actively creating a dialogue with young people in Luxembourg on the subject of gender equality. On this occasion, both Taina Bofferding and Mayor of Luxembourg City Lydie Polfer celebrated the process that has been made in this area since 1919, but reiterated that a lot remains to be done before 50/50 gender equality can be achieved. Indeed, in the 2018 national elections, 12 out of 60 elected MPs were female. Lydie Polfer added that the City of Luxembourg is an exception in that there is almost an equal number of female and male representatives at the local level.

The overall goal of the recent government campaign is to work towards 50/50 gender equality in Luxembourg politics and everyday life, especially through engagement with young people.