First Austrian State Prize for Women Awarded
Austria's Minister for Women Susanne Raab ceremoniously presented the first Austrian State Award for Women in Vienna. Among others, the Austrian women's soccer team received the Austrian State Prize for Women, which is endowed by the Ministry of Women's Affairs.
Austria's Minister for Women Raab presented the first Austrian State Award for Women and other women's awards. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Christoper Dunker
Among the best-known winners of the new Women's State Award in Austria, which is being presented for the first time this year, are the ladies of the Austrian national women's soccer team.
"These incredible women have an extraordinary role model effect - with their outstanding achievements they have significantly increased the visibility of women in sports and the media and thus contribute to the dismantling of outdated role models and thus also to the overall social change," emphasized Minister for Women Susanne Raab.
The new women's awards were also distributed in various other 5 categories to women who have rendered outstanding services.
Thus, the Women's Prize in the category "Economy", Lisa-Marie Fassl, MSc, BSc, successful entrepreneur and co-founder of the "Female Founders" (donated by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs) received. In the category "Economy", Melanie Seidl received the Women's Award, a multiple award-winning stonemason and an entrepreneur (donated by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber). The Women's Prize in the category "Society, Education and the World of Work" was awarded to Emina Saric, MA, an expert in the field of intercultural and equality-oriented education and youth work (donated by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. With the Women's Award in the category "Society, Education and the World of Work": was awarded to Sophie Rendl, co-founder of the platform "Frauendomäne" (Women's Domain), spokesperson for the vera* trust center for victims of violence and harassment in the arts and culture (donated by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economics). The Women's Award in the category "MINT" went to Dr.in Gerlinde Macho, Managing Director of MP2 IT-Solutions and co-founder of "WOMENinICT" (donated by the Austrian Women's Fund LEA - Let's Empower Austria).
Overall, the State Prize for Women and the other women's prizes are endowed with 30,500 euros, which is significantly higher than before. During the event, the historian Mag. Dr. Li Gerhalter and researcher, scientist and entrepreneur Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Bente Knoll were also awarded the Käthe Leichter Prize, as well as the former Vice President of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and former Chairwoman of ÖGB Women Irmgard Schmidleithner with the Käthe Leichter Lifetime Achievement Award.
Minister for Women's Affairs Susanne Raab emphasized that the honored women, through their terrific achievements, contribute to "further advancing the equality of women and men in Austria." This benefits all women and girls throughout Austria who want role models beyond the usual role clichés.