NGO Forum of the Austrian Ombudsman Board: "Human Rights First - despite the austerity package" - Women's rights

Bauer (women's and girls' counselling): Violence against women costs 7.3 billion euros per year

"Structural barriers prevent women from exercising their rights," said Jenny-Kerstin Bauer from the Austrian Network of Women's and Girls' Counselling Centres. She listed some of them: One in three women is affected by violence, women earn twelve per cent less than men, they are saddled with 65 per cent of unpaid care work - and from all this it then follows that they receive 40 per cent less pension than men.

Violence against women is also financially relevant: Consequential costs, for example in the police force, the justice system, the healthcare system and through absenteeism, would amount to 7.3 billion euros per year in Austria. "The economic benefit of investing in counselling centres is correspondingly high," Bauer pleaded for investment in violence prevention, but "the situation is precarious, there is only short-term, project-related funding for women's and girls' counselling centres."

Achleitner (Momentum): Austerity packages are at the expense of women

On paper, women have all the rights, "but in practice they are often undermined - or simply not funded", said Sophie Achleitner, economist at the Momentum Institute. "Austerity packages are at the expense of women", and women are more dependent on public services and social security transfers. If, for example, family benefits are not increased, women are hit harder than average, as they receive 94 per cent of childcare allowance, for example. Social benefits account for more than a quarter of the income of single parents - and 83 per cent of all single parents are female.

There is a constitutional obligation for gender budgeting, but "women are still neglected in the budgets", said Achleitner. Gender equality goals must be linked to budget funds and resources. She cited the coronavirus aid payments, of which only 42 per cent went to women, as an example of unsatisfactory implementation. Men also benefited from 59 per cent of the compensation for cold progression.

According to Achleitner, in addition to a genuine women's budget - the Ministry for Women's Affairs only receives 0.026 per cent of the budget - a fair financing structure is also missing: "Households contribute much more to the savings package than companies, for example." Inheritance and wealth taxes or an increase in corporation tax would contribute to greater fairness.

Ecker (FPÖ): Maintenance law - In practice, it is the mothers who suffer if the fathers do not pay

Finally, MPs from the parliamentary parties discussed the issue. "We have high budgets for the protection against violence, but that's not all. Women's rights also need to get into people's heads, not everyone is aware of this," said Rosa Ecker (FPÖ). She painfully missed a reform of maintenance law: "It should not be the case that adult children have to sue their own father for maintenance during their studies. In practice, it is the mothers who suffer if the fathers don't pay."

Bogner-Strauß (ÖVP): Room for improvement in gender budgeting

"On paper, we have a wonderful gender budgeting system, but there is still room for improvement when it comes to implementation," said Juliane Bogner-Strauß (ÖVP). Her "mission to ourselves": politicians should work out how much of each department's budget is spent on women's rights. After all, the budget of the Ministry of Women's Affairs is not all that is used to campaign for women and against violence. In the municipalities, you have to look at whether the expenditure benefits men or women: "A kindergarten can be at least as beautiful as a fire station."

Schatz (SPÖ): Gender pay gap: there is still a "maternity penalty"

For Sabine Schatz (SPÖ), there is a massive need to catch up when it comes to closing the gender pay gap: "There is still a 'maternity penalty'. For men, on the other hand, having children means an upward pay curve." She called for more pay transparency in companies. On the austerity package, she said: "We are not making savings for the sake of it, but because we have to. Because the previous government left us with empty pots." In any case, it had been possible to prevent a reduction in the women's budget and important measures such as the second compulsory year of nursery school had also been agreed.

Brandstötter (NEOS): Kindergarten opening hours must enable mothers to work full-time

Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) called for more kindergarten places that are compatible with full-time work for mothers. "What is always sold as freedom of choice does not exist when kindergartens close at lunchtime. Without choice, there is no freedom. This leads to dependence on the partner's income and later to poverty in old age." According to the Momentum Institute, only one in four kindergarten places outside of Vienna is suitable for full-time work. Brandstötter also addressed the reproductive rights of women: "In Burgenland, there is no possibility of abortion. The topic must finally be de-tabooed!"

Disoski (Greens): Politics must promote equality - budget does the opposite

Meri Disoski (Greens) regretted that "the women's budget has not been increased for the first time in five years - this is a de facto cut." Women in particular would suffer from the non-evaluation of family benefits. "Especially when there is pressure to save money, you have to continue to give money where equality is promoted. The budget does the exact opposite," she criticised. Access to abortion is also a major concern for her: "Safe, legal, without it being a question of money. I look longingly at France, where the right to abortion has been enshrined in the constitution."