Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus is pushing for the unequal treatment of women and men to be overcome. “We still live in the patriarchy that we have to say goodbye to,” said the Green politician to the “Tagesspiegel”.

“For me, patriarchy is over when women are economically and politically equal, half of the power belongs to women, and gender-specific violence is not played down as an individual act, but is recognized and punished as a patriarchal pattern of thought and behavior.”

Paus made the comments before Equal Pay Day on March 7th. The day draws attention to pay inequalities between men and women and the urgency of overcoming such conditions. Wednesday is International Women’s Day.