An Award for Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz – Burgenländerin Award 2024
March 15, 2024At a gala event, the women's magazine "Die Burgenländerin" (in reference to the Austrian province of Burgenland) presented this year's awards to women from the region who are setting examples and leading the way on both small and large occasions. Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz was delighted to receive the award in the category Society and Social Affairs. "At the Austrian Ombudsman Board and the Red Cross crisis intervention, countless women are there for others and help them every day. I dedicate my award to them!" Once again, she appeals to all women: "Be courageous and confident – you can do anything! Let's strengthen and support each other every day!"
»International Women’s Day: Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz demands more women in leadership positions
March 8, 2024The Austrian Ombudsman Board leads by example: 70% of the team is female. Ombudsperson Schwarz calls upon the business world to put the principle of ‘fifty-fifty in leadership positions’ into practice and encourages women to be brave. “Around 70% of the team of the Austrian Ombudsman Board consists of female employees; whether they are legal advisors, administrative trainees, chiefs of cabinet, or assistants. The Austrian Ombudsman Board is female and this is something we can be proud of,” says Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
»Work meetings with Slovakian and Czech Ombudsman
November 15, 2023In her capacity as Secretary General of the International Ombudsman Institute, Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz welcomed the Public Defender of Rights of the Slovak Republic, Mr Róbert Dobrovodský, and the Public Defender of Rights of the Czech Republic, Mr Stanislav Křeček, for two work meetings at the Austrian Ombudsman Board.
»New monitoring tool shows where Austria falls short in terms of human rights
November 7, 2023“The Austrian Ombudsman Board is the Human Rights House of the Republic of Austria. It is also, where the Human Rights Advisory Council is based. We are responsible for the preventive monitoring of human rights in prisons, retirement and nursing homes, as well as institutions for persons with disabilities, and we are actively involved in the UN’s human rights monitoring, most recently in the country review of Austria within the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, said Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz. “We also work closely with civil society. In a scientific cooperation with the Austrian League for Human Rights, we have now developed an online monitoring tool that shows where Austria falls short in terms of human rights with just a few mouse clicks. It also shows that there is an enormous need for action.
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Hungarian Ombudsman Ákos Kozma visits the Austrian Ombudsman Board
November 2, 2023On Monday, 30 October 2023, Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz welcomed the Hungarian Ombudsman Ákos Kozma in her capacity as Secretary General of the International Ombudsman Institute at the Austrian Ombudsman Board. During the work meeting, they agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation. Similar to the Austrian Ombudsman Board, the Hungarian institution also functions as a National Human Rights Institution and a National Preventive Mechanism.
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Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz meets UN representatives in New York
October 17, 2023From 9 – 12 October 2023, Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz met high-ranking UN representatives in New York in her role as Secretary General of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). She took the opportunity of these meetings to raise awareness about the important work Ombudsman institutions around the world provide every day and how this work contributes to the UN human rights agenda.
»Press conference on the official country review of Austria by the UN CRPD Committee
September 19, 2023On 22 and 23 August 2023, the second and third official country review of Austria by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) took place. Together with representatives of other monitoring bodies and civil society, the Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB) held a press conference and gave an insight into the review process.
»Austrian Ombudsman Board publishes Annual Reports for 2022
September 7, 2023The Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB) released the English version of its Annual Reports for 2022. The two volumes give account of the AOB’s ex-post control of public administration and the activities of the Austrian National Preventive Mechanism (NPM).
»German Petitions Committee visits the Austrian Ombudsman Board
June 29, 2023On Thursday, 29 June 2023, Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz and Ombudsman Walter Rosenkranz welcomed four members of the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag at the Austrian Ombudsman Board. The aim of the visit of the delegation, which visited Austria as second country as part of a study trip, was to exchange experiences with the Austrian Ombudsman Board on the differences between the Austrian and the German systems of complaint handling bodies for citizens.
»International Ombudsman Institute held Board Meeting in Vienna
May 15, 2023The Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) held its annual meeting from 7 – 11 May. Together with IOI President Chris Field, Ombudsperson and IOI Secretary General Gaby Schwarz welcomed colleagues from around the world at the premises of the Austrian Ombudsman Board in Vienna.
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