My Work

Every project tells a story. From launching webshops to crafting compelling articles, my work is driven by curiosity, precision, and a passion for communication.

Web & Digital Marketing

Citrus Sebastia

I built and managed the entire WordPress webshop for Citrus Sebastia, handling everything from design to SEO optimization. Beyond the technical setup, I ensured compliance with GDPR, created legal pages (imprint, terms & conditions), and integrated the Trusted Shops certification.

I managed customer service, and created content for social media, including Facebook ads. I also translated and adapted newsletters, flyers, and product packaging for the German market—playing a key role in the brand’s expansion.

Journalism & Writing

Magazine Project

Within the Journalism Minor at Hanze, I created several journalistic articles covering political and social issues. I transformed the writing portfolio into a magazine using Adobe InDesign.

Persuasive Writing

Within my studies in International Communication I wrote different persuasive texts. My favourite is an essay about gender quotas.

Gender Quotas: Disputed, yet effective and necessary

While women make up about half of the global population, especially in leading positions, they often remain underrepresented. According to the World Economic Forum (2023), women hold less than a quarter of parliamentary seats worldwide, and only 10% of Fortune 500 companies are run by female CEOs (Hinchliffe, 2024). To close this gender gap, many countries have introduced gender quotas. Whereas half of the countries have adopted some form of quotas, quotas remain controversial (International IDEA, n.d.). Critics argue that quotas favor gender over qualifications; others state quotas are ineffective because they fail to address deep-rooted barriers. However, continuing with the current pace, gender parity will be achieved in a mere 131 years (World Economic Forum, 2023). Therefore, despite being disputed, gender quotas are an effective and necessary tool to achieve gender equality.

One argument often made against quotas is that they prioritize gender over qualifications, thus potentially lowering the quality of candidates. One study claimed, that in Norway, the first country to mandate quotas, women promoted were less experienced than the directors they replaced and that the long-term market value of the firms declined (Ahern & Dittmar, 2012). However, several studies challenge this claim. For instance, in climate policy interventions, quotas led to more effective and equitable outcomes (Cook et al., 2019). Another study concluded that quotas resulted in board members with higher education and lower age without negatively impacting firm performance or stock market outcomes (Ferrari et al., 2021). Furthermore, evidence suggests that quotas lead to an increase in the quality of elected politicians (Baltrunaite et al., 2012). Moreover, in local decision-making positions, women offer a different perspective, emphasizing inclusivity and promoting gender equality (World Economic Forum, 2023). So, despite the fear of less qualified candidates, there is limited evidence supporting this concern. Contrary to this, regardless of the area in which quotas were introduced, research indicates that quotas have an overall positive effect across sectors.

Another argument often used against quotas is that they fail to address deep-rooted structural and cultural barriers, such as biases and workplace policies. While it is true that additional initiatives, such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, are one pathway, such programs are not enough for meaningful change (World Economic Forum, 2023). Instead, by accelerating women’s representation (O’Brien & Rickne, 2014), quotas could serve as a crucial first step. Implementing quotas has been linked to increased support for paid paternal leave and childcare options (Assmann & Eckert, 2023). Furthermore, in local decision-making positions, women prioritized policies promoting income equality, employment parity, and parental leave (World Economic Forum, 2023). Though quotas might seem superficial at first glance, they can profoundly impact the entry conditions for women and initiate broader cultural change.

The most important argument for quotas is that they are necessary to rectify systemic barriers. Even when women are equally qualified, they are less likely than men to be considered for leadership roles (McKinsey & Company, 2024). At the same time, on average, women are paid 20% less than men (United Nations, n.d.). Systemic barriers such as unconscious bias contribute to this lasting pay gap. Often, women are perceived as less ambitious than men (Dennison, 2024). Women are disproportionately excluded from informal networks critical for career advancement (World Economic Forum, 2023). And despite broader societal advancements towards gender parity, in many developed countries, the percentage of women in corporate boardrooms and senior political positions has stagnated (World Economic Forum, 2023). As Tracy A. Thomas wrote, “the lack of women’s power as decision-makers in the workplace, politics, or science means the perpetuation of the patriarchy (yes, patriarchy) and male privilege from the top down” (2016, para. 10). Quotas effectively counteract these barriers by empowering women to influence decisions at the highest levels. Quotas mandate representation, reducing bias over time, and they can create a ripple effect that benefits all genders in the workplace (Pande & Ford, 2011). Overall, quotas can serve as a corrective tool in creating opportunities for women by facilitating top-down culture change.

In conclusion, gender quotas are a simple, yet impactful tool in addressing gender parity across sectors. And while quotas alone cannot resolve systemic discrimination rooted in centuries of patriarchy, they are a starting point. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception” (as cited in Cohen, 2020, para. 10). Quotas are not a cure-all, but they could pave the way for a future where women are no longer the exception.

References

Ahern, K. R., & Dittmar, A. K. (2012). The Changing of the Boards: The Impact on Firm Valuation of Mandated Female Board Representation. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 127(1), 137–197. doi: 10.1093/qje/qjr049

Assmann, K., & Eckert, S. (2023). Are women journalists in leadership changing work conditions and newsroom culture? Journalism, 25(3), 565–584. doi: 10.1177/14648849231159957

Baltrunaite, A., Bello, P., Casarico, A., & Profeta, P. (2012). Gender Quotas and the Quality of Politicians. SSRN Electronic Journal. CESifo Working Paper Series No. 3734. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2008607

Cohen, L. (2020, September 23). Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s iconic quotes on law, love and the fight for equality. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ruth-bader-ginsburgs-iconic-quotes-on-law-love-and-the-fight-for-equality/

Cook, N. J., Grillos, T., & Andersson, K. P. (2019). Gender quotas increase the equality and effectiveness of climate policy interventions. Nature Climate Change, 9, 330–334. doi: 10.1038/s41558-019-0438-4

Dennison, K. (2024, May 25). The Systemic Barriers Keeping Women Behind In The Workforce. Forbes. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/karadennison/2024/05/25/the-systemic-barriers-keeping-women-behind-in-the-workforce/

Ferrari, G., Ferraro, V., Profeta, P., & Pronzato, C. (2021). Do Board Gender Quotas Matter? Selection, Performance and Stock Market Effects. Management Science, 68(8). doi: 10.1287/mnsc.2021.4200

Hinchliffe, E. (2024, June 4). The share of Fortune 500 companies run by women CEOs stays flat at 10.4% as pace of change stalls. Fortune. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://fortune.com/2024/06/04/fortune-500-companies-women-ceos-2024/

International IDEA. (n.d.). Gender Quotas Database. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/gender-quotas-database/quotas

McKinsey & Company. (2024). Women in the Workplace 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace#/

O’Brien, D. Z., & Rickne, J. K. (2014). Gender Quotas and Women’s Political Leadership. SSRN Electronic Journal. IFN Working Paper No. 1043. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2498108

Pande, R., & Ford, D. (2011). Gender Quotas and Female Leadership: A review. Background Paper for the World Development Report on Gender. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.hks.harvard.edu/publications/gender-quotas-and-female-leadership-review

Thomas, T. A. (2016). Reconsidering the Remedy of Gender Quotas. Harvard Journal of Law & Gender. https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jlg/2016/11/reconsidering-the-remedy-of-gender-quotas/#_edn1

United Nations. (n.d.). International Equal Pay Day. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/equal-pay-day#:~:text=Across%20all%20regions%2C%20women%20are,around%2020%20per%20cent%20globally.

World Economic Forum. (2023, June 20). Global Gender Gap Report 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2023/in-full/gender-gaps-in-the-workforce/#gender-gaps-in-political-leadership

Design & Branding

Brochure Prototype

For a university project, I worked on designing a brochure. While the final version was never fully completed, the project serves as a prototype for effective visual communication.