Mechthild Rawert

Mechthild Rawert
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Educational theorist, youth and community worker

Born on 3 November 1957 in Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia; Catholic; unmarried.

Studied at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Westphalia, Münster campus, from 1976 to 1980, graduating in youth and community work. Practical qualifying year at the Haus am Rupenhorn training centre for youth and community workers from 1981 to 1982, qualifying as a state-recognised youth and community worker. Studied adult education at the Free University of Berlin from 1981 to 1986, graduating with a degree in education. Studied total quality management at the University of Kaiserslautern from 1996 to 1997.

Taught at the Haus am Rupenhorn training centre for youth and community workers from 1985 to 1986; project leader then managing director at the Berlin branch of the Catholic Women’s Welfare Service from 1986 to 1991; worked for BBJ Consult (association for cultural education and vocational training of young people) from 1991 to 1996; from 1996 worked for “zukunft im zentrum”, a provider of services in the field of employment, education and quality management, project manager from 2002 to 2004; worked for the German Women’s Council in 2003; first women’s issues officer at Charité university hospital in Berlin until September 2005.

Member of the United Services Union (ver.di), the National Association for Workers’ Welfare (AWO), the board of the Berlin branch of the Women’s Council, the board of trustees for the Louise Schroeder medal, the Berlin Women’s Association 1945, the Association for Equal Opportunities, the cross-party women’s initiative “Berlin – city of women”, Pro Familia, the German-Palestinian Society, the Afghan-German association for the promotion of health, crafts and training in the Schöneberg borough of Berlin (AFGHAN), the Berlin branch of Friends of the Earth Germany, Forum Democratic Left 21, and the “Friedenau integrativ” integration project.

Member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) since 1987; deputy chairwoman of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg county branch of the SPD from 2004 to 2006; chairwoman of the Berlin branch of the Working Group of Social Democratic Women (ASF) from 2000 to 2007; member of the executive committee of the Berlin branch of the SPD from 2000 to 2007; spokeswoman for the left-wing grouping within the Berlin branch of the SPD.

Member of the German Bundestag since 2005; member of Committee on Health since 2005, member of Committee on Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection from 2005 to 2009; member of the German-Turkish, German-Israeli, German-Iranian and German-Palestinian parliamentary friendship groups, as well as the parliamentary friendship groups for relations with the states of South-Eastern Europe and Arabic-speaking states in the Middle East; member of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee of the German Foundation for World Population.

Positions within the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag: spokeswoman of the Bundestag group of SPD parliamentarians from Berlin, deputy spokeswoman of the Working Group on Migration and Integration Policy, deputy spokeswoman of the Working Group on Gender Equality, member of the management team of the Working Group on Civic Activities, member of the Working Group on Local Affairs, and member of the Working Group on Right-wing Extremism of the SPD parliamentary group.

Membership of Bundestag bodies

Member

• Committee on Health

Substitute member

• Subcommittee on Civic Activities
• Committee on Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection