Council of Europe

• Council of Europe
• Democracy
• European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

OFFICE FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
AUSTRIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background
Internal Organisation
Mandate
Main Activity
CONTACT

Background 

The “Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft” (Office for Equal Opportunities) was established in 1991 to assist the government in its duty to implement the right to equal treatment between women and men. Its legal basis is to be found in the Equal Treatment Act.

In 2005 the mandate of the Office for Equal Opportunities was extended through the implementation of the European Council Directives 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC. Since then the mandate of the institution does not only cover equal treatment on the ground of gender, but also on the grounds of ethnic origin, religion, belief, age and sexual orientation. The new functions are carried out by the Ombudsman for Ethnic Equality in Goods and Services and the Ombudsman for Equality in Employment.

Although the Office for Equal Opportunities is part of the Ministry for Health and Women, it functions independently.

Internal Organisation 

The Office for Equal Opportunities consists of three sections with different fields of competence. Namely the Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Employment, which also coordinates the work of the institution, the Ombudsman for Equality in Employment on the grounds of ethnic origin, religion or belief, age and sexual orientation and the Ombudsman for Ethnic Equality in Goods and Services.

Mandate 

The Office for Equal Opportunities is mandated to carry out the following tasks:

• assist and provide information and advice in cases of suspected discrimination;
• accompany and represent victims of discrimination during the examination of cases by the Equal Treatment Commission;
• work on raising public awareness and shaping opinions;
• inform the public through lectures and other educational means;
• undertake independent enquiries;
• publish independent reports;
• make recommendations concerning the issue of discrimination.

Main Activity 

The main activities of the Office for Equal Opportunities include counselling and supporting persons who feel discriminated against within the scope of the Equal Treatment Act and informing the public about discrimination, especially about the Equal Treatment Act. Therefore the Office provides personal and confidential legal counselling free of charge.

In cases where an intervention is requested, the Ombudsman has the competence to ask the person(s) suspected to have violated the law to provide information about the case.

Moreover, in cases of discrimination the Ombudsman can establish contact with the perpetrator(s) and the victim(s) and mediate the case. S/he can also support problem solving initiatives undertaken by the parties themselves or submit the case to the Equal Treatment Commission. The Ombudsman accompanies and represents the victims of discrimination during the examination of cases by the Equal Treatment Commission.

CONTACT