Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
The Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth is a cabinet-level ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is headquartered in Berlin with a secondary seat in Bonn.
The ministry has been headed by Karin Prien since 6 May 2025.
History
The original organization was first founded in 1953 as the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. In 1957, this was changed to the Ministry for Family and Youth Affairs and in 1963 to the Federal Ministry for Family and Youth, it was changed to the Federal Ministry for Youth, Family and Health. In 1986, it was renamed to the Federal Ministry for Youth, Family, Women, and Health. The area of health was removed in 1991 and transferred to the Federal [Ministry of Health (Germany)|Federal Ministry for Health]. The remaining Ministry was divided into the Federal Ministry for Women and Youth, and the Federal Ministry for Family and Senior Citizens. In 1994, these divided areas were recombined into the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.In the Merz cabinet since 6 May 2025, the education portfolio has been removed from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and transferred to the Ministry of Family Affairs. Since then, the ministry has been called the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
Organisation
Departments
With the new assignment of tasks to the BMBFSFJ, the organisation was restructured. According to the organisational chart, which reflects the status as of November 2025, there are nine departments:- Department L: Management Department
- Department Z: Central Services
- Department G: Principle and Digitalisation
- Department 1: Democracy and Engagement
- Department 2: Family
- Department 3: Women and Equality
- Department 4: Early and School Education, Educational Research
- Department 5: Vocational Education and Lifelong Learning
- Department 6: Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Older People
Agencies and commissioners
The BMBFSFJ has the following subordinate authorities and commissioners :- Federal Office of Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions
- Independent Federal Commissioner against Sex Abuse of Children and Adolescents
- Federal Government Commissioner against Antiziganism and for the Life of Sinti and Roma in Germany
- Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
- Federal Government Commissioner for the Acceptance of Sexual and Gender Diversity
- Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media
- Federal Volunteers Service