Equal Treatment and Nondiscrimination
Source: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/ens/lidx/1 Parent: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/eni/lidx/1
Copyright: © Martin Braun
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A Community That Looks Out for One Another
At RWTH, we believe fairness, equal treatment, and mutual respect should guide every interaction – especially when it comes to addressing conflict. Achieving this standard requires each of us, whether student, faculty, or staff, to take responsibility for creating a culture of accountability. This means choosing to step up rather than look away when conflicts emerge. There is no place for violence, harassment, discrimination, or demeaning behavior in our community.
We are especially committed to addressing sexism in all its forms, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence. By signing the Joint Statement Against Sexism (in German), RWTH has joined the national alliance “Together Against Sexism,” an initiative supported by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth.
As a university at the intersection of academia, industry, and society, we embrace both our responsibility and our duty of care. We are dedicated to fostering a respectful campus culture, ensuring safe learning and working environments, and upholding equal opportunity – regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Our university strives to be a place of openness, respect, and equal opportunity. We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued.
Understanding Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when individuals are treated unfairly, disadvantaged, or excluded because of actual or perceived characteristics such as gender, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual identity.
It can take many forms. Sometimes it is direct – through exclusionary behavior, disparaging remarks, or demeaning attitudes. At other times, it is structural, built into regulations, norms, or practices that systematically disadvantage certain groups. Discrimination may be intentional, but it can also happen unconsciously.
Within a university setting, discrimination may arise in many areas: in coursework and teaching, in hiring or admissions, in day-to-day interactions, or in social life. At RWTH, the Equal Opportunities Office offers confidential counseling and serves as a first point of contact for anyone seeking advice or support.
Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Violence
Sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence have no place at RWTH. We take seriously our responsibility to ensure safe, respectful learning and working environments for all – regardless of gender or gender identity. We do not tolerate abuses of power or boundary violations of any kind.
The Equal Opportunities Office’s guide provides detailed information on the forms and consequences of sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence (SHDV). It also outlines concrete steps for prevention and intervention, offering practical support for both those affected and for faculty and supervisors.
Legal Foundations
Our commitment to equality and anti-discrimination is grounded in both European and German law. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union requires Member States to eliminate workplace discrimination and guarantee equal access to social benefits. In Germany, the General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG) has provided legal protection against discrimination since 2006.
For RWTH, two legal frameworks are especially important:
- The North Rhine-Westphalia State Gender Equality Act (Landesgleichstellungsgesetz NRW, LGG NRW), which requires public institutions to actively advance gender equality and reduce structural disadvantages. Section 1 (2) of the LGG NRW explicitly prohibits gender-based discrimination.
- The General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual identity. While the AGG applies primarily to employees, RWTH has extended its protections to students through its own Guideline for Protection Against Discrimination, ensuring that the same standards apply across our entire community.
General Equal Treatment Act (AGG)
Students and employees who experience discrimination may also turn to the AGG Complaints Office within the University’s Legal Affairs Department, where they can file a formal complaint under RWTH’s Guideline for Protection Against Discrimination.
What Are Abuses of Power?
Abuse of power arises when individuals exploit a position of authority for personal gain, thereby harming, excluding, or disadvantaging others. Such abuse is particularly likely to occur in situations where one person is highly dependent on another. At universities, this is often facilitated by hierarchical structures.
Abuse of power can take many forms, such as bullying, humiliation, harassment, coercion, or sexual assault. At universities, this may also take the form of demanding unpaid overtime, unlawfully appropriating employees' intellectual property, or economic or financial coercion (such as unjustifiably denying access to resources, data, or funding). All University members can be affected by such abuses of power: students, technical and administrative staff, academic staff, and professors. Such abuses are always inappropriate, never justifiable, and they can be very stressful for those affected. In May 2024, the HRK adopted a policy statement on measures to combat abuses of power.
Those affected can seek confidential advice at RWTH from the Ombuds for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice, Staff Councils, AStA, Student Counseling and Advising Center, Representative Council for Staff with Disabilities, Inclusive Education Officer, and Social and Psychological Counseling services. The Equal Opportunities Office offers confidential initial counseling to all University members, regardless of whether they are students, staff, or whether they belong to a different group.
NRW Abuse of Power Counseling Center
All members of the University community, as well as internal contact and counseling centers, can also contact the NRW Abuse of Power Counseling Center in the event of such incidents.
The counseling center offers:
- confidential, independent, and, if desired, anonymous legal advice;
- information about rights, obligations, possible complaint procedures (e.g., General Equal Treatment Act or disciplinary complaints) and their consequences, using workshops or training courses;
- guidance on other internal and external support services;
- assistance, especially when internal counseling services are no longer sufficient or there is a lack of trust in their ability to deal with the situation.
The lawyers can be reached by telephone at 0221 973 128-53 and by email at info@rechtsberatung-machtmissbrauch.nrw.
Gender-Inclusive Language
Language shapes culture. As part of our mission to advance gender equity, RWTH is committed to using gender-inclusive language in research, teaching, and administration. The NRW State Gender Equality Act provides the legal framework for this commitment. Practical guidance is available in the Office for Gender Equality’s resources and in our instructional video on inclusive communication.
Play Video
Simplified Process for Name and Gender Marker Changes
RWTH offers trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse students and employees the option to update their name and gender marker through a simple self-declaration process – without the need for legal documentation or lengthy procedures.
Copyright: © Jason Moss
Guides and Fact Sheets
- Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Guidelines
- Gender-Inclusive Language (DE)
- Advising: Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
- Guide to the Gender Pay Gap (DE)
- Gender Monitoring Data (DE)
- Fact Sheet: Bullying, Digital Violence, and Hate Speech (DE)
- Fact Sheet: Stalking (DE)
Anti-Discrimination Campaign
CheckYourStereotypes! - This slogan was used from November 13, 2023 to February 2, 2024 to raise awareness of discrimination in the context of sexism, racism, classism, ableism, and cis-heteronormativity in the large-scale anti-discrimination campaign that was organized by the equal opportunities offices at RWTH and FH Aachen.
A multifaceted series of posters, designed by the graphic artist Hélène Baum-Owoyele, illustrated stereotypes, prejudices and microaggressions that lead to discrimination, particularly in everyday university life. The campaign called on all University members to question their own stereotypes and to actively oppose discrimination at the University! A total of five posters with expressive motifs show what university-related discrimination can look like.
Series of Posters
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Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
Copyright: © Hélène Baum-Owoyele
Check Your Stereotypes
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Similar Topics
- Equal Opportunities Office
- Equal Treament and Antidiscimination Round Table
- Campus Safety
- Family Services Team
- Unconscious Bias
- Inclusion, Gender and Diversity Management Staff Unit (IGaD)
- Early Name Change Made Easier at RWTH
- Inclusive Education Officer
External Links
- Aachen Equal Treatment Office (de)
- Frauen helfen Frauen e.V. (de)
- RückHalt e.V. - Counseling center against sexual violence (de)
- Hilfetelefon - The Violance Against Women Support Hotline
- Equality project of the RWTH Student Union (GSP) with Anti-Racism Office
- Netzwerk gegen Machtmissbrauch in der Wissenschaft
- Plattform MeToo-Science