On the occasion of International Women's Day 2026, the Women's Shelter Coordination Association (FHK) is calling for a binding timetable for the renovation of women's shelters. 30 million euros from the special fund "Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality" are earmarked for this purpose in 2026. This money must now be quickly translated into funding applications and construction projects so that it does not go unused.
The special fund was announced in mid-November 2025 – according to the announcement, a total of €150 million is earmarked for the renovation of women's shelters by 2029. Almost four months have passed since then. Clarity is now urgently needed so that organizations can actually access the funds.
“Providers cannot renovate if they don’t know the funding criteria, the required amount of equity, and when the money will actually arrive. The Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Construction (BMWSB) must now communicate clear guidelines on this,” demands Sibylle Schreiber, Managing Director of FHK. The renovations should also be used to make shelter spaces accessible.
Women with disabilities, in particular, must be able to access counseling and shelters easily and independently, as they are twice as likely to experience violence as women without disabilities. FHK criticizes the fact that the recently published LeSuBiA study on unreported crime does not identify women with disabilities as a separate, particularly vulnerable group , resulting in a lack of current data and insights into unreported crime.
An evaluation of the FHK women's shelter search (as of March 2, 2026, self-reported information from the facilities) shows how limited access is for these particularly vulnerable groups: Of 384 listed women's shelters, only a few state that they have specific expertise or suitable conditions for this target group.
Of the 364 women's shelters listed, only about a third are wheelchair accessible, roughly a tenth are equipped for women with visual impairments, and just over a third for women with hearing impairments. In contrast, less than a fifth of the facilities are equipped for women with learning difficulties or cognitive impairments.
In addition, almost one in ten women's shelters states that they have expertise in supporting women with disabilities . While about half of the shelters also allow access for caregivers or assistants, only around five percent of the listed women's shelters can actually accommodate women with a care level rating.
(Photo: Disabled And Here )
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Current women's shelter statistics
