As part of the “Universal Periodic Review” (UPR), the UN Human Rights Council regularly reviews the human rights situation in all member states – including Austria. The Ombudsman’s Office, as the Republic’s human rights body, also contributes to this review and reports regularly to the UN Human Rights Council.
In his speech, delivered via video to the Human Rights Council on 1 July 2026, Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz criticised, amongst other things, Austria’s fragmented anti-discrimination legislation: “If, for example, a girl is discriminated against at school on the basis of her ethnic origin, there are avenues for complaint. However, if she is discriminated against simply because she is a girl, there is no legal basis for lodging a complaint with the Ombudsman’s Office for Equal Treatment. ‘This situation leads to legal uncertainty and confusion,’ said Achitz. He calls for uniform standards of protection for all vulnerable groups, regardless of the grounds on which they are discriminated against.
You can find Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz’s full speech at the very bottom of this page (video, in English)
The Ombudsman’s Office participates in the UPR on the basis of the Paris Principles of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. Human rights institutions that meet all the criteria are granted A-status by the UN Human Rights Council. The Ombudsman’s Office holds A-status and is therefore entitled to participate in meetings of the UN Human Rights Council. It works with civil society and NGOs and contributes to the UN’s Universal Periodic Review.
UPR Monitoring Tool
As part of a research collaboration, the Austrian League for Human Rights and the Ombudsman’s Office have developed an online monitoring tool which, with just a few clicks of the mouse, highlights where Austria is falling short on human rights. It also demonstrates that there is an urgent need for action in this area.
