Volunteering with women: What you can expect
Equal rights are enshrined in law in Germany, but are far from being a reality everywhere in everyday life. Women are more frequently affected by poverty, violence and professional discrimination, carry out the majority of unpaid care work and are still underrepresented in political and economic leadership positions.
In this article, you can find out more about the challenges that many women in Germany face, which organizations support them and how you can make a contribution yourself by volunteering.
Contents:
- The situation of women in Germany
- How organizations and volunteers support women
- What you should look out for when volunteering with women
- Find your volunteer position with women on vostel.de
- FAQ – Frequently asked questions about volunteering with women
1. the situation of women in Germany
Whether at work, at home or in politics, women in Germany still face structural disadvantages that affect their safety, self-determination and equal opportunities. Here are some of the central problems:
Violence against women
One in three women in Germany has experienced physical or sexual violence at least once since the age of 15, often at the hands of a partner or ex-partner. In 2024, 171,069 women and men were registered as victims of intimate partner violence, around 80 percent of whom were female. 132 women were killed by their partner or ex-partner (BKA, 2025). The number of unreported cases is considerable: according to the LeSuBiA victim survey, the reporting rate for intimate partner violence is less than five percent.
There is also stalking: 14.4% of women are affected by this at some point in their lives, compared to 5.1% of men (WEISSER RING Foundation). Stalking is also increasingly taking place digitally: in 2024, 18,224 women were victims of digital violence through cyberstalking, threats or coercion, an increase of 6% compared to the previous year (BKA, 2025).
Unpaid care work
Childcare, care, household: women perform 44.3% more unpaid care work than men (Destatis, 2024). That’s a total of around nine hours every week, i.e. a whole working day. Added to this is the so-called “mental load”, i.e. the invisible planning and organizational work in everyday life, which is also predominantly the responsibility of women. In addition, around 80% of single parents in Germany are women (Der Paritätische, 2023).
Work, income and financial security
On average, women in Germany still earn 16% less per hour than men (Destatis, 2025). They are more likely to work in lower-paid sectors, work part-time more often and have more interrupted employment histories due to care periods. This has a direct impact on pensions: on average, women receive 36.9% fewer pension entitlements than men and are 20.3% more likely to be at risk of poverty (Destatis, 2025, Statistik-bw, 2020).
The situation is particularly problematic for female refugees: At 35%, they are only half as likely to be employed as the female population average, while refugee men are even higher than the male average at 76%. The main reasons for this are insufficient access to childcare, lower educational qualifications and often a lack of social networks (IAB, 2024).
Health
On average, women live longer than men, but spend significantly more years with health restrictions. The so-called “gender health gap” describes a systematic disadvantage in the healthcare system:
Drugs are predominantly tested on male bodies, symptoms in women are often recognized too late or misclassified, for example in the case of heart attacks or autoimmune diseases. Diseases such as endometriosis are still under-researched. And almost one in three women report discrimination when visiting the doctor (AOK, 2025).
Power and representation
Women make up 51% of the population, but are significantly underrepresented in decision-making positions: In the Bundestag, their share fell to 32.4% after the 2025 election (Bundesstiftung Gleichstellung, 2025), in municipal representations to 30.5% and in management positions in business to 29.1% (Destatis, 2025).
Special hurdles for women with a history of migration or flight
Women with a history of migration or flight are additionally burdened in many of the areas mentioned. Almost two thirds of all residents in German women’s shelters have a migration background (Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V.).
At the same time, access to support is more difficult for them: language barriers, a lack of knowledge about their own rights and a possible dependence on their partner under residence law can lead to those affected not seeking support or seeking it too late.
2. how organizations and volunteers support women
What non-profit organizations do
In Germany, many organizations are committed to the situation of women: from nationwide umbrella organizations to specialized advice centres and local initiatives.
Protection from violence and crisis support
Women’s shelters, advice centers and emergency rooms form the most important network for women in acute crises. Active nationwide are the Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V.the bff Frauen gegen Gewalt e.V. with over 210 affiliated advice centers and the help hotline “Violence against women” which is available around the clock. Welfare organizations such as social welfare organizations, Caritas and the Social Service for Catholic Women (SkF) operate their own homes and counseling services.
Education, integration and everyday support
Immigrant and refugee women in particular often lack the basic prerequisites for a self-determined life: language skills, mobility, everyday orientation.
#BIKEYGEES e.V. (Berlin) and Bike Bridge e.V. (Freiburg) teach women how to ride a bike free of charge, for more mobility and self-determination in everyday life. IN VIA Germany supports refugee women with language courses, meeting cafés and sponsorship projects. Nationwide, the “Menschen stärken Menschen” (BMFSFJ) program arranges sponsorships between volunteers and women with a history of migration. Much of this is coordinated by the umbrella organization of migrant women’s organizations (DaMigra e.V.) which networks over 70 member organizations.
Profession, equality and the public
UN Women Germany and the German Women’s Council campaign for equality at a political level and make issues in inequality publicly visible. Regional women’s centers and organizations complement this with job application coaching, career advice and re-entry programmes. TERRE DES FEMMES is committed to women’s rights through campaigns and educational work.
How volunteers are involved
As a volunteer, you can get involved in direct contact with women or help in the background. The activities range from acute crisis support and educational work to public relations and political engagement.
Typical fields of voluntary work with women
As a volunteer, you can get involved in a variety of ways, for example:
- Everyday support: You support women in advice centers, accompany them to authorities and offices and help them find their way around the support system.
- Professional mentoring: You accompany women with a history of migration or flight in their job search, help with application documents and act as a mentor.
- Learning support and language support: You lead discussion groups in German, support girls with their homework or help women to consolidate their German language skills in everyday life.
- Childcare: You support women in difficult life situations in caring for their children, thus providing relief and giving the children additional support.
- Health and care: You will help with practical tasks in health centers, accompany women to medical appointments or support nursing activities in everyday life.
- Public relations and communication: You support organizations in public relations and social media work, for example for initiatives on women’s rights or mental health.
- Project management and organization: You will be involved in coordination roles, for example as an event or engagement manager for organizations that support women.
3. what you should look out for when volunteering with women
Considerate support
If you accompany women who have experienced violence, it is important to be present without exerting pressure or having expectations. This is because many women have experienced others controlling them. Your role is therefore to point out options and provide support. Self-determination should always be the basis.
Motivation more important than prior knowledge
You don’t need any training in social work, education or psychology. Almost all organizations offer introductory courses in which you learn how to react in difficult situations and when to make referrals. For some jobs, especially in women’s shelters and advice centers, an extended police clearance certificate is required.
Confidentiality is mandatory
What you learn in your voluntary work stays there. This is especially true if you work with women who have experienced violence. But women also share personal things in mentoring or language courses: confidentiality is the basis of trust everywhere.
Know your own limits
Whether you hear stories of violence or accompany a woman on her difficult return to work: Some things stick with you. Take advantage of supervision and exchange opportunities and talk to your contact person if something is bothering you.
4. find your volunteer position with women on vostel.de
Whether you are looking for advice or practical assistance: on vostel.de you will find suitable opportunities to support women in your area or wherever you are. Just take a look at our overview and find the volunteering opportunity that suits you.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about volunteering with women
Do I need to have any special prior knowledge?
No. Most organizations do not require any specific training. What is more important is empathy, reliability and a willingness to learn the ropes. Many organizations offer their own introductions and training courses to prepare you for your work.
Can I also get involved as a man?
Yes, in many areas. In direct contact in women’s shelters, the shelter concept generally applies, which restricts access for men. However, men are very welcome in public relations work, at events or in organizational tasks. Find out about the specific opportunities directly from the respective organization.
How much time should I allow?
It depends on the activity and the organization. Many volunteering opportunities are flexible, ranging from a few hours a month to regular weekly assignments. On vostel.de, you can filter for one-off, project-based or regular offers.
How do I deal with stressful experiences?
Speak openly with the full-time contact persons at the organization where you are active. Many organizations offer supervision or regular exchange sessions for volunteers. Take advantage of these offers and don’t be afraid to communicate boundaries.
What impact does volunteer work have on affected women?
Volunteering can make a crucial difference for affected women. A volunteer on call at night means that a woman in an acute crisis situation does not run into a void. Childcare in a women’s shelter gives children a sense of normality despite difficult circumstances. And public relations work ensures that the issue remains visible in society. Volunteer work closes gaps that the system alone cannot fill.
Your vostel.de team wishes you valuable experiences in your voluntary work with women!
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