Austria

Government responsibilities

The Department for Women was founded in 1997 within the Federal Chancellery. In 2000, the Department was incorporated into the operational area of the Federal Ministry for Social Security and Generations, but moved to the newly founded Federal Ministry for Health and Women in 2003 and then, in 2007, returned to the Federal Chancellery. From March 2014 to June 2016, the Department for Women belonged to the Federal Ministry of Education and Women's Affairs, while from 1 July 2016 to 7 January 2018, the Department was integrated into the Federal Ministry for Health and Women's Affairs. Finally, on 8 January 2018, the Department for Women and Equality moved back to the Federal Chancellery under the Amended Ministerial Law [5].

Today, the Department for Women and Equality comprises six departments. Its central task is to share information and raise public awareness of women’s issues and equality issues. This includes investigation and analysis of fundamental research and statistical data, as well as the realisation of gender-specific projects, representation in national and international bodies, provision of information and comments on legislation. It also promotes the so-called Women’s Projects, with part of the Department’s budget used to support about 250 projects each year, chiefly providing counselling and support services to women. The Department for Women and Equality monitors and reports on issues such as the elimination of discrimination against women and equal treatment, and reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. These reports are regularly published in order to provide information on the status of gender equality to parliament and citizens.

The Department for Women and Equality is responsible for the management of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Gender Mainstreaming/Budgeting (IMAG GMB), which was set up in 2000 based on a resolution of the Council of Ministers. The IMAG GMB aims to create a basis for the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy at federal level, in compliance with Austria’s international obligations. Its tasks are:

• to support and monitor the implementation process of gender mainstreaming in all departments and at all political levels;
• to exchange information and best practice initiatives in the various departments, as well as domestic and foreign best-practice examples;
• to develop criteria for the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy; and
• to monitor and evaluate ongoing projects, measures and application of gender mainstreaming objectives.

Members are termed ‘GM agents’ (GM Beauftragte) and are appointed within the ministries and supreme organs (Constitutional Court, Supreme Administrative Court, Court of Auditors, Ombudsman Board and Parliamentary Directorate).

Policies on women and equality are a cross-cutting issue, meaning that comprehensive implementation is only possible in cooperation with all ministries, states, policy makers, etc. The Department for Women and Equality leads the coordination of administrative action on women’s issues and equality issues. Firstly, within the Department for Women and Equality, the Commission on Equal Treatment and the Federal Equal Treatment Commission deal with all questions of a general or individual nature that involve discrimination in employment or other areas of life based on sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation. The Equal Treatment Commission was set up to scrutinise matters relating to discrimination under the Equal Treatment Act. It is a special institution designed to support labour, social and civil courts.

The Federal Ministry for Health and Women's Affairs compiles biannual reports on the initiatives taken by ministries and other public authorities to reduce discrimination against women. These outline the standalone initiatives taken by different ministries and other public agencies (most recently the Bundesministerium für Gesundheit und Frauen (2019)).

Independent gender equality body

The Ombud for Equal Treatment for the private sector (Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft) is the main point of contact for all persons who believe they have been discriminated against in employment and occupation on the grounds of sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation. It was set up under Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, and took effect on 1 July 2004.

Its specific functions are supporting victims of discrimination, conducting research and surveys, offering policy advice, promoting good practices, raising awareness and engaging with civil society.

 Parliamentary bodies

As per representative elected bodies, the Equal Treatment Committee (Gleichbehandlungsausschuss) is in charge of gender equality and women’s policy. The principle of the parliamentary procedure is that a decision on an item in the plenum of the National Council is preceded by a preliminary discussion in a committee. This is to ensure that expert members of parliament can discuss issues in small groups, perhaps alongside external consultants. The final decision is reserved for the plenum of the National Council, however.

Regional structures

Austria consists of nine federal states, which have an important role in implementing gender equality and women’s policy. In the Austrian Federal Constitution, the federation, Länder (federal states) and municipalities all commit to aiming for the equal status of women and men. Although the national obligation is the same for all federal states, implementation depends on political commitment, funding and the priority given to gender equality and women’s policy by the various federal governments and administrations.

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