Universal Periodic Review

Support nationwide ban against sexist and discriminatory advertising

Proponent:

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

In Austria, there is as yet no nationwide legal regulation against sexist and discriminatory advertising, although the issue keeps cropping up in political and social debate. There are currently various initiatives to take action against sexist advertising, but they either rely on the advertising industry’s self-regulatory mechanism or concern individual federal states. The Austrian Equal Treatment Act and the Press Council’s Code of Honour prohibit discrimination, but these regulations are often ineffective against sexist advertising in public spaces. A prominent example of such an initiative is the Women’s People’s Petition, which calls for a general ban on sexist advertising content in order to protect the mental health and well-being of the population. In some cities, such as Berlin or London, there are already specific regulations that restrict such advertising, which is being discussed as a model for Austria (Anti-Discrimination Agency STMK, federal law banning sexist advertising: https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/11865759/99340954). There is currently no binding nationwide legal regulation in sight, even though there are repeated demands and concepts that provide for stronger legal control;