Country detail - yourHRC.org

Austria

Regional group:

Western European & Others Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Council Bureau membership:	President (2020) Vice-president (2012)
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2010-2011)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2009-2010) Member of Working Group on Situations (2014)
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	B

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Inter-Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights; Establishment of a special fund for the participation of civil society in the Social Forum, the Forum on Minority Issues and the Forum on Business and Human Rights; Forum on minority issues; High-level panel discussion to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action; Human rights in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice; Human rights of internally displaced persons; Mandate of the Independent Expert on minority issues; Mandate of the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure; Preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age as a human rights concern; Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities; Safety of journalists; Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence; The negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights; The right to privacy in the digital age; Situation of human rights in Eritrea; New and emerging digital technologies and human rights; Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2011, Austria has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Austria generally votes in favour (with some exceptions - such as some resolutions on the ‘occupied Syrian Golan’ and one on the UN fact-finding mission report on the Gaza Conflict – where it abstained). On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Austria has joined consensus on all resolutions except for one that was voted on (during the period of its membership): on cooperation with Ukraine (with Austria voting in favour). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, where a vote is called Austria tends to either abstain (e.g. on the Russian Federation’s resolution on the integrity of the judicial system, Pakistan’s resolution on the use of drones, and various African Group resolutions on racism), or vote in favour (e.g. resolutions on the death penalty, on gender orientation, on democracy and rule of law, and on peaceful protests). The only civil and political rights resolutions it has voted against are two Cuban resolutions on the right to peace (in 2013 and 2014). For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Austria has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Where there have been votes on such texts, Austria has tended to vote in favour of (NAM) resolutions on the right to development, and against texts on: the effects of foreign debt (Cuba); international solidarity (Cuba); and unilateral coercive measures (NAM). Texts Austria has abstained on include: non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin; access to medicine; and (once) the effects of foreign debt.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

417

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
None

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

CERD
8 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2010, 2015, 2021)

Mid-term report

1st Cycle

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 90 / 192

2^nd cycle: 102 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 15

Austria presented its voluntary pledges for election for the term 2019-2021 on 22 August 2018.

In the document, Austria pledged, inter alia, to:

At the international level: Contribute to the full implementation of the Council’s mandate, and support efforts to further strengthen the body; Continue to support and engage with OHCHR; Maintain its Standing Invitation, and continue to fully support and cooperate with the Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies; Implement UPR recommendations received during its last review, and present a mid-term report on implementation; Build bridges between the UN human rights mechanisms and other international organisations; Promote cross-regional cooperation; Maintain its cooperation with and support for, civil society; and oppose reprisals against human rights defenders; Continue to support initiatives on: the rights of minorities; freedom of speech and the safety of journalists; human rights of internally displaced persons; human rights in the administration of justice; and the abolition of the death penalty; Work to strengthen the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities; promote the rule of law and human rights education; and lead the fight against human trafficking, racism and discrimination; Continue to integrate a human rights-based approach into development cooperation; Intensify efforts to promote intercultural dialogue and freedom of religion.

At the national level: Improve the framework conditions created for the integration of refugees and migrants; Expand the legal protection of children; Adapt and expand measures to prevent and combat corruption; Further strengthen the role of the Constitutional.

An analysis of steps taken by Austria in fulfilment of its pledges at the international level shows that it made a voluntary contribution to the OHCHR. Austria has a strong record of engagement with the Council and its mechanisms. It maintains a Standing Invitation to Special Procedures, has facilitated 100% of visit requests, and has responded to most of the received communications. Austria has participated in around 70% of panel discussions, sent a ministerial-level delegation to participate in the UPR, and produced a mid-term report on implementation. It has ratified all eight core human rights treaties.

Austria, has, as pledged, continued to support the initiatives on the rights of minorities; freedom of speech and the safety of journalists; human rights of internally displaced persons; human rights in the administration of justice; and the abolition of the death penalty; and the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities.

Austria

Western European & Others Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 90 / 192

2nd cycle: 102 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 15

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 90 / 192

2^nd cycle: 102 / 192