Austria in the U.N. Human Rights Council

Austria’s membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council 2011-2014

"Our clear commitment to human rights and to the rule of law is at the core of our candidature for the United Nations Human Rights Council. Austria is committed to contribute as a partner in the Council to the continuous improvement of human rights worldwide."

Dr. Michael Spindelegger
Federal Minister for European and International Affairs

The promotion and protection of human rights are of utmost importance to Austria. Austria is committed to a comprehensive protection of human rights at national and international level. Austrian politics are firmly rooted in the conviction that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interrelated, interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The promotion and protection of all human rights have to be advanced through global partnership and dialogue with all actors. The United Nations Human Rights Council plays a key role in the international field in this regard. Therefore, Austria has decided to announce its candidature for membership on the Council for the period 2011-2014. This is Austria’s first candidature since the establishment of the Council in 2006.

The decision for the candidature of Austria for the Human Rights Council is based on the following considerations:

The promotion and protection of human rights is a core priority of Austria’s foreign policy.
Austria’s engagement in multilateral fora on human rights has always been guided by a spirit of cooperation and dialogue.
Austria actively supports of the United Nations treaty bodies, the Special Procedures and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. .
Austria’s engagement on human rights at the international level is based on a firm commitment to human rights protection at the national level.

In the past years Austria has intensified its efforts in certain priority areas in the field of human rights:

• Children’s Rights
• Women’s Rights
• Strengthening the Rule of Law
• Human Rights Education
• Fight against Trafficking of Human Beings

Austria’s numerous activities and initiatives are closely coordinated at different levels with a multitude of partners. The membership on the Human Rights Council will allow Austria to strengthen and deepen this engagement.

In accordance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/251 Austria presented its voluntary pledges and commitments on 21 March 2010.

Austria’s pledges and commitments:D, EN, FR, SPAN, PORT, CHIN, RUS, ARAB