“I hope that everyone recognizes that gender equality policy is the basis for a fair society with a high quality of life for all.”

As the second of only two women ever to hold the highest judicial office of Vice President of the Austrian Constitutional Court, Verena Madner can still be considered a pioneer in 2025. Reason enough to include the head of the WU Institute for Law and Governance in our “Hall of Femmes”!

WU Blog: What are your thoughts on International Women’s Day on March 8, what does this day mean to you personally?

Verena Madner: Women’s Day is a good occasion to celebrate what the women’s movement has already achieved in its history – starting with women’s suffrage – and also to remind people of what still needs to be done in terms of equal opportunities and equal rights.

WU Blog: Apart from your work as a professor at WU, you have also been Vice President of the Constitutional Court since 2020. How do you see the future of women’s advancement at the Constitutional Court and beyond? Have you experienced any challenges or progress during your time here?

Verena Madner: Where the management of the Constitutional Court is responsible – in the area of administration and constitutional law staff – the proportion of women is very high, with over 60% of staff and more than 50% of managers being female.

The situation is different for female constitutional court judges: currently only 4 of the 14 members are women and one female judge is leaving office at the end of April. Here it is up to politicians, who are responsible for appointments, to pay particular attention to applications from highly qualified female lawyers.

WU Blog: Looking back on your career so far: were there any female mentors who particularly encouraged you?

Verena Madner: I had people who stood by me during challenging times in my career. At WU, I found the career program for female scientists and the networking very helpful.

WU Blog: What advice do you have for women who are still at the beginning of their career?

Verena Madner: I would advise women in science to network well and to look for a community in which they can enjoy and appreciate scientific exchange.

It also makes sense to regularly discuss the course of your academic career and the challenges of leadership.

For both aspects, it helps to exchange ideas with peers and actively seek out experienced mentors.

WU Blog: What would you like to see in the coming years in terms of promoting women in leadership positions and equal opportunities in society?

Verena Madner: That more and more people recognize that the advancement of women and gender equality policy is not only relevant for women, but is the basis for a fair society with a high quality of life for all.

More about the WU Hall of Femmes

The “Hall of Femmes” project aims to increase the visibility of women at WU and related to WU and to empower other women by creating role models. In short interviews, the women interviewed describe their career paths, report on decisive success factors for their professional development and give personal career recommendations. The interviews will be published in a series over several weeks on the WU blog.