Proponent:
In its Concluding Observations on Austria in March 2020, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child made more than 60 recommendations to improve the situation of children’s rights, including protection against violence, education, non-discrimination, health and inclusion. The federal government does not have a structured implementation programme (e.g. strategy, action plan) for this; an exchange with relevant stakeholders only takes place within the framework of the Children’s Rights Board set up in the Federal Chancellery/Family, albeit with non-binding results. In implementation of the EU Child Guarantee, the Child Opportunities Programme was initiated in Austria to ensure basic services for children, particularly those in disadvantaged circumstances (early childhood education, health, combating child poverty); however, the necessary action plan, which has been due from the federal government for well over a year, has not yet been presented (see website of the Ministry of Social Affairs: <a
href=https://www.sozialministerium.at/Themen/Soziales/Soziale-Themen/Europäische-Garantie-für-Kinder.html>https://www.sozialministerium.at/Themen/Soziales/Soziale-Themen/Europäische-Garantie-für-Kinder.html).
In addition, the Integration Department at the Federal Chancellery supports low-threshold language courses and learning support for children and young people of school age in order to improve their German skills and educational opportunities. In the years 2021 to 2023, around 7 million euros were made available for these purposes, with projects such as the Caritas learning cafés throughout Austria and the „HIPPY projects“ in various federal states being funded. The Ombuds Office for Children and Youths offers an education ombudsman service for kindergartens and schools, which provides support for various school-related problems such as derogatory behaviour, discrimination, violence, bullying, unfair grades and the involvement of pupils in decision-making processes and acute crisis situations in kindergartens and schools. We would also like to draw attention to current statements written by members of the Children’s Rights Network. These relate to various developments, including refugee and asylum coordination, the inclusion of children with disabilities in collaboration with the Austrian Disability Council and protection against violence in collaboration with the Association of Child Protection Centres and „Die Möwe.“ In addition, the Children’s Rights Network submitted a supplementary report to the 5th and 6th Report of the Republic of Austria to the United Nations in accordance with Article 44 (1b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The following demands are presented in this report on behalf of the Children’s Rights Network: The introduction of compulsory kindergarten years, an expansion of educational opportunities for children under the age of three, targeted support for children with special needs, including affordable language support, the transfer of elementary education to federal competence and improved training for educators and a comprehensive integration of children’s and human rights into early childhood education and appropriate further training for educators (Supplementary Report to the 5th and 6th Report of the Republic of Austria to the United Nations pursuant to Article 44(1)(b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: https://www.kinderhabenrechte.at/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Bericht_DT.pdf).“
