Universal Periodic Review

This UPR tool reflects the global recommendations made to Austria by all countries world-wide during the Universial Priodic Review process (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council and their current status of implementation. The League coordinates a significant part of Austrian civil society in the UPR process. 

The recommendations can be filtered in the menu below by human rights topics, SDGs, proponent states etc. also a search function is available. 

 

We welcome your comments and suggestions at upr@liga.or.at.


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Progress: No progress

Take further measures to promote tolerance and respect for cultural diversity in order to eradicate existing prejudices and stereotypes against migrants and foreigners

Proponent:

Bahrain


Kingdom of Bahrain

Bahrain


Kingdom of Bahrain

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

An open letter to the federal government from Asylkoordination Österreich calls for the expansion of youth and social work programmes as well as political education and participation. Affected people in Austria, especially young people, should be given equal and barrier-free participation in democratic processes in order to support them, especially in times of racism (see: https://archiv2022.asyl.at/de/info/news/offenerbriefandiebundesregierung/index.html).    Although the World Programme for Human Rights Education was launched by the United Nations in December 2004, various measures to promote human rights education are being implemented in Austria. These include training courses for prospective judges and policewomen as well as the integration of human rights education into the curricula of Austrian schools. The training of prison guards, including topics such as human rights and anti-discrimination, is carried out in consultation with the staff representatives (see Federal Law Gazette II No. 129/2011, Overall legal regulation for basic training for employees in pay group v1 in the prison service: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=20007252).  Although progress in human rights education is recognisable, it should be noted that there is still a considerable need for action. The positive approaches such as training for prospective judges and police officers and the integration of human rights education into curricula should be further strengthened. The mention of the training of judicial guards is commendable, but additional efforts are needed to achieve comprehensive social sensitisation.   The Federal Government is called upon to take the demands formulated in the open letter seriously and to take effective measures. It is to be hoped that increased efforts will be made to create a fair and inclusive society in Austria that guarantees the equal participation of all those affected in democratic processes. 

Progress: No progress

Refrain from polarizing populist campaigns against migrant communities and take a firm public stance against racist speeches

Proponent:

Turkey


Republic of Turkey

Turkey


Republic of Turkey

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

The international activities of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the organisations charged with this task, erinnern.at and OeAD, all aim to support teachers and learners in the field of human rights education. However, there is no further information on specific projects from Austria. Although the World Programme for Human Rights Education was launched by the United Nations in December 2004, various measures to promote human rights education are being implemented in Austria. Although progress in human rights education is recognisable, it should be noted that there is still a considerable need for action. 

Progress: No progress

Continue to raise public awareness to eliminate prejudice and stereotypes against migrants and refugees, and take further measures to translate integration efforts into effective practice on the ground

Proponent:

South Korea


Republic of Korea

South Korea


Republic of Korea

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):

Law enforcement agencies continued to use facial recognition technologies without a clear legal basis, despite the potential discrimination against gender and ethnic minorities and the interference with the rights to privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Racial profiling by the police continued to be practised and there was a lack of effective mechanisms to investigate these practices (see Human Rights Situation in Austria 2022, Amnesty International Austria: https://www.amnesty.at/themen/menschenrechte-in-oesterreich/menschenrechtslage-in-oesterreich-2022-amnesty-jahresbericht/). Between January and August 2021, 64 Afghan nationals were deported to Afghanistan despite the risk of serious human rights violations upon their return. In August of the same year, the Austrian government refused to evacuate Afghan refugees from the Taliban and to redistribute asylum seekers from the Greek islands. In July 2021, the Provincial Administrative Court of Styria found that seven asylum seekers had been illegally returned to Slovenia. This showed that unlawful pushbacks were being systematically practised in Austria in some cases. In February 2022, the same court confirmed that an asylum seeker from Morocco had been unlawfully returned to Slovenia and pointed out the methodical application of such unlawful pushbacks. By the end of 2022, around 90,000 Ukrainian refugees had received temporary protection in Austria in accordance with the EU mass influx directives. In September 2022, the Ministry of the Interior reported that 5,140 unaccompanied minors had gone missing between January and July. Numerous NGOs and politicians are calling for the immediate allocation of guardians for unaccompanied minors as soon as they arrive, instead of waiting for admission to the asylum procedure, which often takes several months;In recent years, there has been a tightening of immigration policy in Austria and an increasing harshness towards asylum seekers. This is reflected in legislative changes aimed at making access to asylum more difficult and facilitating the deportation of rejected asylum seekers. Another problem is the treatment of asylum seekers during the asylum procedure and in reception centres. There are currently reports of overcrowded accommodation, inadequate medical care and a lack of integration into the education system. 

Redaktionelle Verantwortung UPR-Tool:

Österreichische Liga für Menschenrechte, upr@liga.or.at

Lizenz CC-BY-SA 

Unterstützung durch:

Forschungskooperation mit der Volksanwaltschaft

Förderung des Zukunftsfonds der Republik Österreich

 

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