on the executive of the Equality Welfare Association ("Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband") for Baden-Württemberg: during 2014 and 2015 she served on its supervisory council. For her years of commitment and dedication she was honoured in 2016 with the "Golden pin-badge" ("Goldene Ehrennadel"). Politics From 1985 till 1993 Monika Barz was a local councillor in Nienburg/Weser, representing the little known (even in Lower Saxony) "Voters' Initiative for Democracy and Environmental Protection" ("Wähler- und Wählerinnen Initiative für Demokratie und Umweltschutz" / WIDU) party. In 2016 she stood for election to the Bundestag as a candidate for the German Green Party, but it appears to have been her first step into mainstream national politics at this level, and her name was too far down on the party list for her to stand a realistic chance of election. References People from Castrop-Rauxel People from Reutlingen Gender studies academics Sociology educators German women academics German feminists Alliance 90/The Greens politicians 1953 births Living people Recipients of the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany