HAMMONIA AWARD HONORS KERSTEN ARTUS FOR HER FIGHT FOR WOMEN’ S RIGHTS
by Anna Sizorina and Carol Harbers
What does courage look like today? What does it mean to stand up for equality, even when it is difficult?
The Landesfrauenrat Hamburg( LFR) has a clear answer. At its February meeting, the LFR awarded the Hammonia Prize for 2025 to journalist and activist Kersten Artus. The award honors women who work with passion and expertise for gender equality. It is named after Hammonia, the symbolic city goddess of Hamburg, and has been awarded since 2008.
Kersten Artus received the prize for her long-standing commitment to reproductive rights. For more than 150 years, abortion in Germany has been regulated under criminal law, though often deemed“ not punishable” under specific conditions. Artus has worked for decades to change this system. She believes that women must be able to decide freely and safely about their own bodies.“§ 218 must finally be consigned to the dustbin of patriarchal history,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Artus is well known in Hamburg and beyond. She served in the Hamburg parliament from 2008 to 2015 and was vice president starting in 2011. She is currently the chair of Pro Familia Hamburg, a key organization for sexual and reproductive health. As a journalist, she brings clear language and strong arguments into public debates.
Her activism has not been easy. Like many advocates for reproductive rights, she has faced hostility and legal challenges. She supported physician Kristina Hänel, who was prosecuted for providing factual information about abortion on her website. Artus helped organize public campaigns and founded Pro Choice Deutschland with Hänel. Their joint work contributed to the abolition of § 219a of the criminal code, which had restricted public information about abortion services.
Hamburg’ s Equal Opportunities Senator Maryam Blumenthal summed up the importance of her work:“ The right to make decisions about pregnancy is fundamental to equality and democratic society.”
Why does the Hammonia Award matter?
It sends a message. It celebrates persistence, solidarity, and hope. And it reminds us that change is possible when people dare to speak up.
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