UPR: Austria, 23rd session, 2015

Despite the presumptions that come with its status as a developed Western European state, Austria has been criticized over its weak implementation of measures to reduce sexual and gender based violence against women and increase the protection of minorities and their rights. One of these is the implementation of a national action plan, the quantifiable effects of which have been difficult to measure. Austria has also created legislative protections for ethnic minorities like the Slovenians in the country’s South, but has similarly been criticized for lack of implementation – even in the face of federal court decisions. Meanwhile, the status of the Roma people in Austria is concerning in regards to acceptance, access to language, and the preservation of culture. A variety minorities, ethnic and religious, report hate crimes and xenophobic attacks.

Drawing on ICAAD’s research, this submission highlights issues of structural discrimination that impact Austria’s women and minorities. The research examines Austria’s compliance with its international human rights obligations, and follows up on the implementation of recommendations accepted during the last Universal Periodic Review; covering: women in the labor market, violence against women and domestic violence generally, racism and xenophobia, the status of the country’s Slovenian minority, and the rights of Roma people in Austria.

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