In 2019, Mr. Schubert, the mayor of Potsdam, declared the city a “safe haven”, but in reality it is
far from that. Some refugees have been living with the tolerated status for many years. For each
individual, this means a state of hopelessness, frustration and fear of being deported at any
moment. The deportations usually take place at night without any notice. People are simply
picked up from their homes and taken away. Since 2015, there has been a right to stay regulation,
through which long-time tolerated persons receive a residence permit if they have German
language skills and a job. However, the Foreigners Authority in Potsdam does its best to prevent
this. Refugee accommodations in Brandenburg are often in remote locations, making it too
expensive to travel to a place where a German course is offered. Many refugees are isolated from
society and the hurdles to integration are great. Support for asylum seekers is insufficient. Many
people do not know how to get an apartment, a language course, a job, childcare, a place at
school, etc. In addition, the psychological burden of living in collective accommodations is great.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, we launched our protest and
empowerment workshops against the undignified conditions for refugee women in Brandenburg.
The protest was directed against the Foreigners Authority in Potsdam. Officials always have room
for decision, which can be used humanely. But the officials in Potsdam always use them against
the people.
One example: Refugee women have the right to stay if their children are German. But the officials
don’t just give them a residence permit. They require the women to travel outside the European
Union to enter Germany legally and then apply for the residence permit. They are legally entitled
to the residence permit because one part of their family is German. But with this demand, they
simply make it impossible for the women to get into a secure living situation. Just because they
can, they want the women to leave their home in Germany, their job, the kindergarten place or the
school and get a plane ticket. In the country from which they then apply for the visa to come to
Germany, they have to look for a new apartment and wait indefinitely until they get the visa. In
normal times, it already takes at least six months. With the current situation, it can take forever.
How are they supposed to finance all this? It is simply impossible. Realistically, this means for
them that they have to stay in Potsdam with the tolerated status, without perspective and
possibilities for integration and with the daily fear of suddenly being deported.
If one has the tolerated status, it is only valid for three, maximum six months. With this status, it is
impossible to get an apartment, a job or a housing permit.
The protest that we started on March 8 continues.
At the same time, we started empowerment workshops for women. Women are more vulnerable in
every society. They are discriminated against regardless of where they live. Refugee women and
women in general, face massive discrimination at every turn in our society.
Workshops should create a platform where refugee women have the privilege to receive
education, develop skills, and have the means to care for and provide for themselves. Refugees,
especially refugee women, go through a lot of suffering in their home countries, no one becomes

refugee by choice, they are forced to do so to save their lives, to save their families, to simply feel
safe and secure. According to UNCHR report, to date there are 26 million refugees in the world
and 50% of them are women. In Germany, a total of 1.2 million asylum seekers* arrived in 2015
and 2016.
We need to stand strong against any kind of discrimination in our society so that our future
generations can have a safe planet to live on. This starts with local, cultural, institutional and
everyday racism and discrimination. The workshops are designed to help women become strong
against racism and discrimination.
Likewise, the refugee women are empowered by being shown the opportunities available in
Germany. That is, learning the language, getting a job and an apartment, and other legal
opportunities that this state offers them.
We will continue with the workshops and protests because we want the attention of civil society.

See our protest letter here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T2195NPUCFfoAVzqqqzpvD8_hWtfpTZ4/view?usp=sharing