Here you can download the conference proceedings from various events organised by the Austrian Ombudsman Board.

Every year, the Ombudsman Board organises an NGO forum to deepen the dialogue with civil society.

As the National Human Rights Institute, the Ombudsman Board is the link between civil society and politics. It works together with civil society and civil society organisations and has set up the so-called NGO Sounding Board for this purpose. In this board, a regular exchange takes place between and with representatives of large civil society organisations. The topic of the annual NGO Forum is also discussed and agreed within the Board in advance.

The results of the NGO Forum are summarised in conference proceedings. As these also include external content, not all files are fully accessible.

Violence against women and girls remains widespread – yet often goes unnoticed. In Austria, around one in three women aged between 18 and 74 has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. This makes it all the more important to recognise violence at an early stage, to approach the persons concerned in the right way, and to know what support is available.

With the expert forum ‘Face it instead of turning away’, the Austrian Ombudsman Board, in collaboration with the Forum Verfassung Foundation, is continuing the long-standing awareness-raising and educational work of the lecture series ‘One in five’ in a new format. The focus is on gender-based violence and the particular responsibility of people who work – or will work in the future – in the sectors of health and social affairs.

Experts from the fields of medicine, care, social work and law will highlight where violence begins, how it can be recognised, and what professional action entails in cases of suspected violence. The expert forum provides practical knowledge, strengthens practical skills and, at the same time, sheds light on the human rights obligations of state institutions and professionals.

The event is aimed in particular at students and future professionals in social work, social pedagogy, medicine, care and related fields.

Looking instead of looking away means taking responsibility – and helping to make violence visible and provide effective support to persons concerned.