Untitled - Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte

ANNUAL REPORT 

2011

© Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – LBI and Research Association 

A-1010 Vienna, Freyung 6 (Schottenhof), Hof 1, Stiege II 

T +43/1/42 77-274 20, bim.staatsrecht@univie.ac.at, http://bim.lbg.ac.at 

Photo: Steffi Dittrich 

Vienna, April 2012 

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Contents 

Introduction 5 

Events 7 

Publications 25 

Finances 31 

Staff 33 

Projects 37 

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Introduction 

Dear readers, 

dear friends, partners and supporters of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights! 

We are pleased to present you with a comprehensive review of our activities throughout the year 

2011. 

In 2011 BIM’s work was evaluated by three external experts appointed by the Ludwig Boltzmann 

Association. The results of this process reconfirmed the excellence of our research and 

implementation activities as well as the profound expertise and professional skills of our staff. As a 

result of this evaluation process the Ludwig Boltzmann Association renewed its commitment to a 

consistent amount of core funding for the next four years. Recommendations of the experts’ report 

will be integrated into our organisational and thematic development. 

Research work at BIM deals with a broad range of human rights relevant topics arising from current 

social questions. In light of upcoming developments within the contemporary international human 

rights discourse BIM focuses its expertise on the following areas: 

� Fundamental and human rights in general 

� Human Dignity and Public Security 

� Human Rights in Development Cooperation and Business / Digital Rights 

� European Neighbourhood and Integration Policy 

� Anti-discrimination, Diversity and Asylum 

� Women’s Rights, Child Rights, Anti-Trafficking 

� Human Rights Education / Education for Democratic Citizenship 

From a financial perspective the year was successful and the annual turnover in 2011 could be 

increased; a trend which is expected to continue in 2012. It is striking that the share of EU-funded 

projects (BIM) and of federal funding (BIM-Research Association) increased noticeable. For BIM 

this proportional and numerical increase of EU-funding can be explained inter alia by the fact that 

BIM is conducting several large Twinning projects financed by the European Commission. The 

proportional increase of federal funding arises from the finalisation of an EU-funded project and the 

subsequent proportionally increasing share of the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in 

Schools which is administrated by the BIM-Research Association. 

On the following pages you will find a comprehensive synopsis of our activities, devided in chapters 

as follows: events, publications, finances, staff and projects. 

We hope you find the insights into BIM’s activities and projects in this annual review interesting and 

enjoyable. 

Patricia Hladschik, Manfred Nowak, Fiona Steinert, Hannes Tretter 

and the BIM team 

Vienna, April 2012 

PS: In 2012 BIM celebrates its first 20 years of human rights work. Support us, join us for the 

birthday event at the Viennese jazz and music club “Porgy&Bess” on 7 December, let’s hold up and 

celebrate the idea of human rights together! 

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BIM Conferences and Workshops 

Children’s views on involvement in European and international decision-making 

Events 

28 January 2011, Europahaus, Vienna 

As partner of the EU-funded project coordinated by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England 

(London, UK) BIM organised a “national consultation day”: About 100 children and young people from 

Austria met to share their experiences of being involved in European and international decisionmaking 

and to talk about why children and young people should be able to influence decisions that 

affect their lives. They discussed the best ways to influence bodies such as the UN Committee on the 

Rights of the Child and the Council of Europe and talked about the different methods that these bodies 

can use to encourage children and young people’s participation in decision-making. 

Twinning project start-up event: Implementation of a Data Protection Strategy in Montenegro 

7 to 8 February 2011, Podgorica/Montenegro 

Data protection experts from Austria and Slovenia, representatives of the EU delegation and of the 

diplomatic missions of Austria and Slovenia, of the project partners as well as Montenegrin experts 

and decision makers participated in the official start of the BIM Twinning project. The relevance of the 

topic data protection in a globalised world was stressed in a joint press conference with the 

Montenegrin Minister of the Interior, Ivan Brajović. An expert seminar for the interested public in which 

current legal developments within the EU and country-specific situations were discussed closed the 

event. 

Diversity Management in Practise 

16 February 2011, Vienna 

Working Group Diversity coordinated by respACT in cooperation with BIM (Katrin Wladasch) and 

Pauser&Wondrak. 

Gender Equality in Turkey 

4 April 2011, Austrian Embassy, Ankara/Turkey 

In the context of the Twinning project “Promoting Gender Equality in Working Life”, the Austrian 

Embassy in Ankara and BIM jointly organised a lecture and panel discussion on “Gender equality in 

Turkey”. Karin Lukas, as junior partner project leader, gave a lecture on “Women's Rights and 

Business”. 

EDC Action Days 2011 

27 April to 15 May 2011, throughout Austria 

The EDC Action Days are an annual series of events throughout Austria co-ordinated by polis – 

Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools. About 100 events, projects and activities on 

topics such as politics, democracy, human rights, globalisation, Europe etc. were carried out. 2011 

had a special focus on “participation and civil courage”. 

DiversCity Award and Diversity Charta – Motivating factors for implementing diversity? 

28 April 2011, Vienna 



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Rights for Everyone?! – Training programmes on how to get along with everyone in daily life 

28 April to 12 May 2011, Vienna 

Workshops on social behaviour for school classes at WUK Kinderkultur organised by polis – Austrian 

Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools. Additional workshops in schools throughout Austria took 

place during the year. 

Citizenship education and political involvement: International Citizenship and Civic Education 

Study (ICCS) 

4 May 2011, Innsbruck 

Educators’ Consultation – organised by polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools in 

cooperation with the European Wergeland Centre and the University of Innsbruck – focussing on the 

national und international findings of the International Citizenship and Civic Education Study (ICCS), 

the largest study ever conducted on civic education in secondary schools: It investigated students’ 

knowledge and understanding of civics and citizenship as well as students’ attitudes, perceptions, and 

activities related to civics and citizenship. 

Trafficking in human beings 

4, 5 and 9 May, Vienna 

Guided tours for school classes through an exhibition on trafficking in human beings (arranged by the 

Austrian Task Force on Combating Human Trafficking), organised by Ingrid Ausserer (polis – Austrian 

Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools). 

The UN and human rights 

9 May 2011, Vienna 

Training for teachers, students and multipliers, organised by polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship 

Education in Schools in cooperation with the UN information service, about human rights, the work of 

the UN, torture prevention, refugees, asylum and children’s rights. Lecturers: Manfred Nowak, 

Dorothea Steurer. 

Fundamental Rights Training for Judgeship Trainees 

9 to 11 May and 12 to 14 September 2011, Reichenau/Rax 

Mandatory fundamental rights training for judgeship and prosecutor trainees, organised and 

conducted by BIM together with the Association of Austrian Judges (Department “Fundamental 

Rights”). Lecturers: Astrid Steinkellner, Christof Tschohl. 

Participation and civil courage – information fair for young people 


Information fair for students that gave an overview on Austrian volunteer organisations and their field 

of activity, for example Amnesty International, The Red Cross etc., organised by polis – Austrian 

Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools (Maria Haupt). 

Substainable urban AND rural development 


The annual conference of the Austrian Agency for Education for Sustainable Development was jointly 

organised by polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools (Dorothea Steurer) and the 

Environmental Education FORUM. After a number of keynote speeches it offered the possibility to 

networking. 

Expert conference on the prevention of torture in Paraguay 

6 to 7 June 2011, Asunción/Paraguay 

In the framework of the EU-funded Atlas of Torture project, BIM conceptualised, organised and 

implemented a two-day conference on torture prevention, following up the implementation of the 

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ecommendations submitted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to the Republic of Paraguay. 

The conference was organised in close cooperation with the project focal point and largest network of 

human rights NGOs in Paraguay, CODEHUPY. It was attended by some 50 high level representatives 

from the State, civil society and the international community. Moritz Birk and Tiphanie Crittin presented 

their assessment report and the participants discussed in four thematic working groups the main 

issues in the field of torture prevention, that were identified during the assessment visit. At the end of 

the conference, each working group presented conclusions and recommendations, basis for the 

further implementation of the Atlas of Torture project in Paraguay. 

Twinning study visit of data protection experts from Montenegro to Viennna and Ljubljana 

6 to 8 July 2011, Vienna 

BIM in cooperation with the Austrian Data Protection Commission (DSK) received a delegation of ten 

Montenegrin data protection experts in Vienna. On this occasion the guests were informed about the 

extensive activities of the DSK; a meeting with high level data protection experts gave the opportunity 

to talk about the fields of data protection and human rights from a general point of view and to discuss 

current issues. In the forefront of the Vienna study trip the delegation made an on-site visit at the 

agency of the Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia. 

Training of the National Preventive Mechanism of Azerbaijan 

11 to 15 July 2011, Baku/Azerbaijan 

In the framework of a Twinning-Light cooperation with the German Institute for Human Rights, BIM 

(Moritz Birk, Tiphanie Crittin, Julia Kozma, Johanna Lober) developed and implemented a four-day 

training for members of the Azeri National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). The training modules 

included observing the visiting methodology of some members of the NPM in practice, discussing the 

observed practices and developing context specific guidelines for the preventive monitoring of places 

of detention. 

“Einmal Guantánamo - Immer Guantánamo?” 

12 July 2011, Media Centre of the Austrian Parliament, Vienna 

Press conference presenting a BIM relief project for two former Guantánamo detainees in cooperation 

with the crowd funding platform respekt.net. 

“Red Vienna Walks” from a human rights perspective 

12 to 20 August 2011, Vienna 

BIM (Heidrun Aigner) organised the 2011 readers tour of the Swiss weekly WOZ. The “Red Vienna 

Walks” lead through a Vienna that has become famous for its remarkable community politics (public 

housing, social and health services etc.). From a present-day perspective the enforcement of 

economic, social and cultural rights played a vital role. 

Implementation Capacity of Turkish Police to Prevent Disproportionate Use of Force by the 

Turkish Police 

5 to 6 September 2011, Ankara/Turkey 

The EU-funded Twinning project “Implementation Capacity of Turkish Police to Prevent 

Disproportionate Use of Force by the Turkish Police” started officially with this kick off meeting in 

Ankara. Together with the Turkish National Police, the Austrian-German Consortium will jointly draft 

legal recommendations, develop standard operating procedures and implement a train the trainer 

programme that will enable a better compliance with the European Convention of Human Rights. 

Core Dimension: Ethnic Afiliation 

7 September 2011, Vienna 



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Consultation workshops on aligning Turkish legislation with EU gender equality acquis 

13 to 14 September, Ankara/Turkey 

During the two-day consultation with more than 70 participants from Turkish ministries, social partners 

and NGOs, Austrian and German Twinning experts presented and discussed their recommendations 

on how to harmonise specific Turkish legislation with the EU gender equality acquis. The results of 

these consultations were taken into account in the finalisation of the experts’ proposals. 

Expert seminar on strengthening the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism 

(NPM) 

21 September 2011, Asunción/Paraguay 

In the framework of the EU-funded Atlas of Torture project, BIM organised and implemented an expert 

seminar on strengthening the establishment of the NPM. The seminar was held with the objective to 

identify and discuss the problems faced in the establishment of the NPM. The participants included 

representatives from the Government, the representatives of the National Congress, the Public 

Defender’s Office and civil society organisations. Moritz Birk and Tiphanie Crittin prepared and 

presented a commentary on the NPM law and made recommendations for an internal regulation for 

the elective organ and the NPM. Following, the participants identified and discussed the status quo as 

well as the main obstacles and problems of the process of establishment, and the functioning of the 

NPM and the needs and possibilities for regulation 

Twinning study visit of data protection experts from Montenegro to Berlin, Dresden and Kiel 

19 to 24 September 2011, Berlin, Dresden, Kiel/Germany 

A delegation of Montenegrin Data protection experts visited the premises of the Federal 

Commissioner for Personal Data Protection in Berlin as well as the Independent Centre for Privacy 

Protection Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner of the Free 

State of Saxony in Dresden to discuss important daily routines in the authorities as well as current 

challenges in the field of data protection with the proficient german experts. The study trip was 

organised by BIM. 

Round-table on the access to justice and the strengthening of legal aid in Paraguay 

26 September 2011, Asunción/Paraguay 

In the framework of the EU-funded Atlas of Torture project, BIM organised a round-table on the access 

to justice and the strengthening of legal aid in Paraguay. The objective was to identify and discuss 

possible ways to strengthen legal aid, in particular by supporting the Public Defender’s Office, by 

means of cooperation with bar associations, lawyer groups, and universities. The participants included 

the deputy director of the Public Defender’s office, the head of the Bar Association of Paraguay, the 

head of the legal clinic of the University Católica, the head of CIDSEP, a newly created network of pro 

bono lawyers, several lawyers from the Public Defender’s Office, as well as representatives of civil 

society organisations working in the field of legal aid. Moritz Birk and Tiphanie Crittin held a 

presentation on best practices on how to strengthen Public Defender Offices by means of institutional 

reform and cooperation. 

The Right(s) Moment is Now! 

26 September 2011, Venice/Italy 

The AHRI-COST Annual Conference in the framekwork of the COST-Action “The Role of the EU in the 

UN Human Rights Reform” was co-organised by the Research Platform “Human Rights in the 

European Context”. Manfred Nowak gave a lecture on “Academic Perspectives on the United Nations 

Human Rights Reform”. 

University conference: “How to Promote Gender Equality in Working Life?” 

18 October 2011, Ankara/Turkey 

Opened by the Turkish Minister of Labour as well as the Minister of Family, this top-level conference 

brought together experts from academia, state administration and social partners to exchange on how 

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to promote gender equality in working life. The conference formed an important part of the awarenessraising 

component of the Turkish-German-Austrian Twinning project “Promoting Gender Equality in 

Working Life”. 

Training and Round-Table on the Prohibition and the Prevention of Torture in Pakistan 

18 to 22 October, Lahore/Pakistan 

In the framework of the recent ratification by Pakistan of the Convention against Torture (CAT) BIM 

experts (Moritz Birk, Tiphanie Crittin and Manfred Nowak) conducted a two-day training on the 

obligations of Pakistan under CAT, as well as the legal safeguards and the role of civil society 

organisations in combating torture. The workshop was provided for Open Society Foundation Pakistan 

(FOSIP) partner organisations in Pakistan. Subsequently, FOSIP also organised a three-day 

roundtable discussion to raise the attention on the issue of torture in Pakistan, and the obligations to 

effectively implement CAT’s provisions. The event was visited by 100 participants from the 

Government, civil society and the international community. 

Twinning study visit of Turkish delegation on gender equality in working life 

24 to 28 October, Vienna 

As junior partner to the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the Twinning project 

“Promoting Gender Equality in Working Life” BIM organised a study visit for eleven Turkish civil 

servants. Comprising numerous meetings with Austrian experts from both, state administration and 

civil society sector, the study visit enabled the participants to exchange intensively with their 

interlocutors on issues of gender equality in working life. 

Core Dimension: Age – People of all Generations 

25 October 2011, Vienna 



Participation as Challenge and opportunity in Human Rights Research: 

Participatory Research in Theory and Practice 

3 to 4 November 2011, Vienna 

The expert workshop was jointly organised by the Research Platform “Human Rights in the European 

Context”, the Doctoral College “Empowerment through Human Rights” and BIM. Welcome and 

introduction by BIM: “Participation as a pillar of the Human Rights Based Approach”. 

Workshop in the framework of the Twinning project “Gender Equality in Working Life” 

16 November 2011, Ankara/Turkey 

Karin Lukas and her German colleague Gundel Köpke held the workshop and discussed the topics of 

women’s rights and gender equality, equality in Austria and Turkey as well as good practice examples 

of awareness raising measures in different European countries. 

Following-up on the Recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture – major 

challenges and future strategies 

28 to 29 November 2011, Chisinau/Moldova 

In the framework of the EU-funded Atlas of Torture project, BIM experts conceptualised, organised 

and implemented a two-day conference on the status quo of the implementation of the 

recommendations submitted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture on the Republic of Moldova in 

close cooperation with Moldovan civil society partners. In addition to representatives from the EU and 

the UN, the Minister of Justice of Moldova and some 90 participants from the line ministries (Interior 

and Justice), representatives of international organisations and civil society participated in the 

conference. Based on the content of a comprehensive assessment report drawn up in September 

2011, Julia Kozma and Johanna Lober presented the major findings of their analysis of the current 

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challenges faced by Moldova in the effective eradication of torture and the fight against impunity. 

Subsequently, conference participants developed concrete recommendations in five thematic 

workshops, which will serve as guidelines for the further implementation of the Atlas of Torture project 

in Moldova. 

Training on the prohibition and prevention of torture for civil society representatives 

6 to 7 December 2011, Baku/Azerbaijan 

Moritz Birk and Julia Kozma conducted a two-day training and seminar for civil society representatives 

of Azerbaijan, which focused on the topic of “torture” in international and European law. The 

participants were particularly instructed in how to professionally approach international and European 

institutions, such as the UN Committee against Torture. 

Workshops on the topics of voting, democracy and politics 

ongoing, throughout Austria 

polis – the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools offers participatory and activating 

workshops for school classes which focus on giving teenagers an understanding of democracy and 

the importance of elections. Eleven schools made use of this offer. 

Workshops on human rights 


polis – the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools offers workshops for school classes 

on human rights and children’s rights. Six schools made use of this offer in 2011. 

Workshops and training courses for teachers 


polis – the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools offers workshops and training courses 

for teachers and prospective teachers in cooperation with the University Colleges of Teachers 

Education. In 2011 14 trainings took place throughout Austria. 

Lectures, panel discussions, presentations 2011 

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January 2011 

Expert Hearing at the Constitutional Committee of the Austrian National Council on children’s 

rights in the Constitution 

Expert statement by Helmut Sax on the draft Constitutional Act on the Rights of Children, 13 January 

2011 in Vienna 

The federalist state from a non-discrimination perspective based on the UN Convention on the 

Rights of the Child 

Presentation by Helmut Sax at the experts meeting “Youth and Law – Crossover”, organised by SOS 

Kinderdorf Austria, 17 February 2011 in Wels 

“Race” – a social and political construction: structures and phenomena of the prejudice racism 

Input by Barbara Liegl at a panel discussion organised by the Sir Peter Ustinov Institute in Vienna, 17 

January 2011 

Reality Check: Hybrid Tribunals 

Presentation by Manfred Nowak at the University of Vienna, 17 January 2011

What is Torture? 

Presentation by and discussion with Manfred Nowak on the issue of torture and violence against 

children, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, 18 January 2011, Vienna 

Follow-up to the UN Global Report on Secret Detention 

Presentation by Manfred Nowak at the Workshop of the Subcommittee on Human Rights at the 

European Parliament “Torture and Secret Detentions: the UN perspective and the role of the EU”, 

25 January 2011, Brussels/Belgium 

Competition for diplomats? New actions in foreign relations 

Manfred Nowak, speaker at the panel discussion at the conference “The Evolution of Diplomacy”, 

Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, 28 January 2011, Vienna 

A World Court on Human Rights 

Presentation by Manfred Nowak at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, 3 February 2011, 

Copenhagen/Denmark 

Why do we need data protection? 

Presentation by Hannes Tretter at the Twinning Expert Workshop “Current and forthcoming 

challenges in democratic societies”, 7 February 2011, Podgorica/Montenegro 

Fireside chat with Manfred Nowak 

Fireside chat with members of the Austrian Section of the International Commission of Jurists, 

15 February 2011, Vienna 

February 2011 

Human Rights Advisory Board of the Austrian Ministry of the Interior and its Commissions 

Participation of Manfred Nowak at the annual meeting, 4 to 5 March 2011, Sankt Lambrecht 

Improving Enforcement, Accountability and Redress in the 21st Century: Towards an 

International Court of Human Rights 

Presentation at the Human Rights Council side-event, Manfred Nowak, 8 March 2011, 

Geneva/Switzerland 

March 2011 

Now What? The Problem of Continuing Impunity 

Speaker at the panel discussion at the Human Rights Council side-event on “The International 

Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances”, Lawyers' Right Watch 

Canada-LRWC/International Commission of Jurists, Manfred Nowak, 9 March 2011, 

Geneva/Switzerland 

Possible uses of statistical data when dealing with discrimination cases 

Input by Barbara Liegl at the TAIEX workshop on “Anti-discrimination legislation and implementation of 

the Anti-discrimination Act” (INT MARKT 43263), 9 March 2011, Zagreb/Croatia 

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100 years of International Women’s Rights Day – Time to celebrate? 

The UN Women NGO Forum organised an event at the UN Vienna Headquarters. In the panel 

discussion, Karin Lukas gave an input on “Women’s Rights and the Economy”, 10 March 2011, 

Vienna 

Treatment of Particular Groups of Prisoners 

In her function as expert member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), 

Julia Kozma chaired a workshop dealing with the treatment of particular groups of prisoners within a 

conference organised by the Turkish chairmanship of the Council of Europe in Antalya: “Improving 

detention conditions through effective monitoring and standard-setting”, 17 to 18 March 2011, 

Antalya/Turkey 

Violation of Fundamental Rights – a Society Trend? 

At the job and career fair “SUCCESS 11”, Julia Kozma and Barbara Liegl discussed with other 

participants on the podium a number of human rights related topics, such as racism, torture and illtreatment, 

as well as equality, 23 March 2011, Juridicum, Vienna 

Expert Hearing on implementation of the Data Retention Directive 

Judiciary Commitee of the Austrian National Council, Hannes Tretter, 23 March 2011, Vienna 

La Lucha Internacional Contra la Tortura 

Presentation at the Universidad Metropolitana de Asunción, Manfred Nowak, 24 March 2011, 

Paraguay 

Freedom of opinion: Limited to protect minorities and religions? 

Presentation by Hannes Tretter at the BFI Wels, 25 March 2011, Wels 

Developing an Equinet data collection template on complaints to quasi-judicial equality bodies 

Input by Barbara Liegl at the EQUINET Legal Seminar “Legal Developments and concepts in the field 

of equality and non-discrimination in Europe”, 28 March 2011, Brussels/Belgium 

9th IT-Fraud-Conference 

Podium participation and expert input by Christof Tschohl at the annual meeting of telecom industries, 

criminal police and prosecutors, which deals with current developments concerning IT fraud, 31 March 

and 1 April 2011, Salzburg 

Torture in the 21st century. Conclusions – Six Years as UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 

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April 2011 

Keynote speech by Manfred Nowak at Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, 

4 April 2011, Israel 

Human Rights and Business 

Karin Lukas, co-author of the book “Menschenrechte und Wirtschaft” introduced trends and recent 

international development in this field and addressed the question: Do companies have a human 

rights responsibility? 6 April 2011, Mainz/Germany 

Change in Africa: What are the consequences for Austrian politicians? 

Discussion with Hannes Tretter at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, 7 April 2011, Vienna

Combating Trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation 

Conference concerning the research project on trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour 

exploitation, workshop and study presentation by Julia Planitzer, organised by the University of 

Tilburg, 8 April 2011, Tilburg/The Netherlands 

Requirements Regarding the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Austria and the Role of Civil 

Society Organisations 

Input by Barbara Liegl at a panel discussion in the framework of the conference “The new fundamental 

rights architecture of the EU since the Treaty of Lisbon”, organised by BIM and Renner Institute, 

15 April 2011, Vienna 

Development of Draft Rules of Procedure for the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) of 

Azerbaijan 

German GIZ and the German Institute for Human Rights invited BIM torture prevention experts Moritz 

Birk and Julia Kozma to Baku in order to develop together with Azeri NPM their Rules of Procedure 

and to enhance the effectiveness of the National Preventive Mechanism’s working methods in general, 

18 to 21 April 2011, Baku/Azerbaijan 

The Role of the Commissions of the Human Rights Advisory Board 

For international students of the European Peace University (Stadt Schlaining) Johanna Lober held a 

presentation jointly with the Chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Board on the mandate, working 

methods and practices of the Austrian Human Rights Advisory Board at the Ministry of the Interior and 

its Visiting Commissions, 19 April 2011, Ministry of the Interior, Vienna 

Pros and cons of military intervention in Africa – Libya to Ivory Coast 

Presentation at the Round Table, Radio Africa TV, Manfred Nowak, 29 April 2011, Vienna 

A Stocktaking – Six Years UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 

Manfred Nowak at the University of Teacher Education Vienna, 3 May 2011, Vienna 

PluS – Plurilingual Speakers in Unilingual Environments 

Presentation of the project to the public by Margit Ammer, 5 May 2011, Vienna 

May 2011 

Torture in the 21st Century – A Stocktaking after Six Years as UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 

11th Berliner Abendgespräch with Manfred Nowak, organised by UP Micro-Loans, 6 May 2011, 

Berlin/Germany 

The International Struggle Against Torture 

Manfred Nowak at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, 9 May 2011, Vienna 

Presentation of the BIM’s work and the Fundamental Rights Curriculum (BIM, Austrian 

Association of Judges) 

Presentation by Hannes Tretter during a study visit of judges and prosecutors in the framework of the 

HELP II-Programme of the Council of Europe, District Court Meidling, 11 May 2011, Vienna 

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„Handeln oder abwarten?“ Der Nexus Migration und Klimawandel in der Diskussion 

Participation of Margit Ammer in a panel discussion at the conference of the German Federal Office 

for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), 12 May 2011, Nürnberg/Germany 

Torture in the 21st Century – Experiences of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 

Manfred Nowak at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld, 18 May 2011, 

Bielefeld/Germany 

An Assessment of the Practice of the Human Rights Council in Addressing Country Specific 

Situations 

Presentation by Manfred Nowak at the AHRI/COST Workshop “The Review of the Human Rights 

Council: Outcome and potential of a joint NHRI strategy” at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, 

23 to 24 May 2011, Copenhagen/Denmark 

Right of Torture Survivors to Rehabilitation 

Presentation by Manfred Nowak at the launch event of Dina Yafasova’s book: “Don’t call me a 

victim” at the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, Manfred Nowak, 24 May 

2011, Copenhagen/Denmark 

Integration or disintegration: coping with diversity in multicultural societies 

Input by Barbara Liegl at a panel discussion in the framework of the conference “Coping with crisis in 

Europe and Central Asia: Adapting to new threats and challenges” of the International Peace Institute 

and the Vienna School of International Studies, 24 May 2011, Vienna 

Train the Trainer for full-time trainers at the educational centres of the SIAK on the topic of 

policing and human rights 

Johanna Lober, Walter Suntinger and Gudrun Rabussay-Schwald jointly conceptualised and 

implemented a three-day training workshop for full-time police trainers on the topic of policing and 

human rights, 24 to 26 May 2011, Vienna 

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June 2011 

Fact-Finding and the Documentation of Torture: The Experiences of the UN Special Rapporteur 

on Torture 

Opening remarks by Manfred Nowak at the “12th European Conference on Traumatic Stress” 

focussing on “Human Rights & Psychotraumatology”, 2 June 2011, Vienna 

Seminar: “United Nations Human Rights System” 

Lecture by Manfred Nowak at the Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Program of 

Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University, Washington 

College of Law, 8 to 17 June 2011, Washington DC/USA 

A World Human Rights Court: A Draft Statute 

Panel discussion with Manfred Nowak, American University, Washington College of Law, 9 June 

2011, Washington DC/USA 

Racism and discrimination on the Labour Market 

Barbara Liegl held a workshop and participated in a panel discussion at a conference on “Racism and 

Discrimination in Employment”, 9 June 2011, Linz

The fight against Torture and Ill-Treatment 

Presentation of the EIDHR project “Atlas of torture” by Julia Kozma at the panel of a conference about 

the European Instrument for Human Rights (EIDHR), 15 June 2011, Brussels/Belgium 

Open Government Data from a Human Rights Perspective 

Lecture by Christof Tschohl at the 1 st Open Government Data Conference in Austria, 16 June 2011, 

Vienna 

Stanford – Vienna Human Rights Conference: US-American and European Approaches to 

Contemporary Human Rights Problems 

BIM experts at the opening session: Manfred Nowak, Karin Lukas, 20 June 2011, and presentation by 

Margit Ammer on “EU Asylum and Migration Policies and Human Rights Challenges”, 22 June 2011, 

Vienna 

War on Terror, Guantánamo Bay and Secret Detention 

Contribution of Manfred Nowak at the conference, organised by Amnesty International and the 

European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, 29 June 2011, Berlin/Germany 

Responsibility to Protect and Future Challenges 

University course of Manfred Nowak, European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and 

Democratisation (EIUC), 1 July 2011, Venice School of Human Rights, Venice/Italy 

July 2011 

August 2011 

Green Academy 2020 

Presentation by Margit Ammer on environmentally-related migration and the European Union as well 

as participation in a panel discussion on “The Future of Schengen Regime and the Future of the 

Others”, 24 August 2011, Vis/Croatia 

Frequently Asked Questions in Relation to the World Court of Human Rights 

September 2011 

Participation of Manfred Nowak at the expert meeting on the World Court of Human Rights of the 

International Commission of Jurists and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law 

and Human Rights, 2 September 2011, Geneva/Switzerland 

LGBT Rights and European Integration 

Participation of Hannes Tretter at the plenary panel discussion within the framework of the 

International Human Rights Conference “Toward Europe, Toward Equality”, 2 September 2011, 

Danilovgrad/Montenegro 

“Forum Privacy” of the Austrian Computer Society (OCG) 

Input by Christof Tschohl on the issue of data protection and fundamental rights, 8 September 2011, 

Vienna 

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Forensic Sciences and Human Rights 

Participation of Manfred Nowak at the 19th Triennial Meeting of the International Association of 

Forensic Sciences as chair of special session IX: “Forensic Identification and Investigation of Torture”, 

14 to 16 September 2011, Funchal/Madeira 

The EU's accession to the ECHR 

Lecture by Hannes Tretter at the conference “Current Reflections on EU Equality and Non- 

Discrimination Law”, 19 September 2011, Trier/Germany 

“Role and Responsibilities of Religious Communities and Civil Society for Conflict Resolution in 

South Caucasus” – Workshop “Best Practises in Mobilizing Civil Society for Dialogue” 

Presentation of good practises of the BIM-Care project “Strengthening Women’s Capacity for Peace- 

Building in the South Caucasus Region” by Sabine Mandl and presentation of good practises of the 

BIM-ICCN project “Strengthening European partnerships for crisis prevention and response: Civil 

society peace-building round tables for Georgia” by Claudia Sprenger in the context of a Conference 

of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, 19 September 2011, Vienna 

Criminal Trial in Line with Fundamental Rights 

Participation of Christof Tschohl at the panel discussion on current issues of fundamental rights 

protection in the course of criminal proceedings, during the annual seminar days of the Austrian 

Association of Judges, 21 to 23 September 2011, Gabelhofen 

Amnesty Academy: “Behind closed doors” – Torture in the 21th century 

One-day seminar relating to the prohibition and prevention of torture in the international, European 

and Austrian context, Julia Kozma, 24 September 2011, Vienna 

Human Rights Protection in Europe 

The seminar dealt with the different standards and procedures for the protection of human rights 

developed by the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the EU, Manfred Nowak, 29 September 2011, 

Yerevan/Armenia 

Civil Society and Human Rights Development in Europe 

Participation of Manfred Nowak at the event “Armenia and Lithuania: 20 Years of Diplomatic 

Relations”, Yerevan State Linguistic University, 30 September 2011, Yerevan/Armenia 

Presentation of the book “Compensation for trafficked persons in Austria” 

18 

October 2011 

Co-author Julia Planitzer facilitated the presentation and the following panel discussion, organised by 

the OEGB Publishing House, 6 October 2011, Vienna 

“Speak to the World” – film-making event 

As part of an EU-funded child participation project, Sabine Mandl supported the participation of two 

young people from Wels and Vienna in a film-making event, 11 to 13 October 2011, 

Budapest/Hungary

EU-Anti-Trafficking-Day in Austria 

Participation of Julia Planitzer at the panel discussion of the annual event on the occasion of the EU- 

Anti-Trafficking-Day, organised by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, 

17 October 2011, Vienna 

The Tension between Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Freedoms – what is the way 

forward after the Treaty of Lisbon? 

Application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in Austria and individual rights derived from it, 

lecture by Barbara Weichselbaum, Austrian Chamber of Labour, 19 October 2011, Vienna 

Racism – Theory and Practice 

Lecture by Barbara Liegl in the context of a seminar on research methodology “Integration of Migrants: 

Own perceptions and perceptions of the others”, Faculty of Political Science and Sociology, 

Department of Sociology and Cultural Studies, University of Salzburg, 20 October 2011, Salzburg 

Human Rights Monitoring of Places of Detention: The CPT, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture 

and OPCAT mechanisms 

Participation of Julia Kozma at the general assembly of the Russian human rights organisation 

“Memorial” with the possibility to give a presentation and take part in discussions on diverse 

international, European and national monitoring mechanisms that provide for the protection of 

detainees, in particular against torture and ill-treatment, through preventive visits to places of 

detention, 28 October 2011, Moscow/Russia 

November 2011 

Education and equal educational opportunities: The right to education and to equal educational 

opportunities 

Selected issues from a constitutional point of view, lecture by Barbara Weichselbaum, University of 

Klagenfurt, 10 November 2011, Klagenfurt 

Interpädagogica 

Presentation of the activities offered by polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools 

and workshop on children’s rights at the major educational fair in Austria, 10 to 12 November 2011, 

Vienna 

Human Rights in Education 

Participation of Patricia Hladschik at the symposium of the Council of Europe, 24 and 25 November 

2011, Strasbourg/France 

9th International Conference “Cyberspace” 

Presentation of Christof Tschohl about the Austrian implementation of the EU Data Retention 

Directive, the role of human rights and the experiences of BIM, Law Faculty, Masaryk University Brno, 

25 to 26 November 2011, Brno/Czech Republic 

Global Governance and Transnational Human Rights Obligations (GLOTHRO) 

Participation of Margit Ammer in an executive training seminar as well as presentation in Doctoral 

School, European University Institute Florence, 28 November to 3 December 2011, Florence/Italy 

19

Discussion on the film “You don’t like the truth – Four days in Guantánamo” 

20 

December 2011 

After the screening of the documentary on the interrogation of a juvenile detainee at the detention 

camp Guantánamo Bay by Canadian security agents, Julia Kozma discussed with Siroos Mirzai 

(Hemayat) and other participants the “system Guantánamo” as well as effects of torture and illtreatment 

on the victims, 9 December 2011, Top Kino, Vienna 

Transnational Corporations and Human Rights 

During the presentation of the latest edition of the journal “Juridikum” on the topic of “Transnational 

Corporations and Human Rights”, Karin Lukas gave an input based on the article “Human Rights 

Protection through Measures of Trade Policy?” co-authored with Astrid Steinkellner, Library of the 

Austrian Chamber of Labour, 13 December 2011, Vienna 

All fur coat and no knickers? Looking at Austria through the international lenses of human 

rights 

Lecture by Barbara Liegl in the context of a lecture series on “Human Rights & University” organised 

by the Centre for Peace Research and Peace Pedagogics, Alpen-Adria-University Klagenfurt, 

22 December 2011, Klagenfurt 

Europe Online: E-Democracy – Theory and Practise in the Digital Discourse 

Lecture by Christof Tschohl at the interdisciplinary seminar of the postgraduate European Studies 

(M.E.S.) at the University of Vienna, December 2011

Brown Bag Lunch 2011 

Since 2007 a so called Brown Bag Lunch has been established at BIM to enhance exchange within 

the institute. In an informal setting, BIM staff members and affiliates present recent research 

outcomes and discuss their work. 

Migration as a Human Rights research topic 

Bernhard Perchinig, Austrian migration expert, was invited to speak about research ideas 

looking at migration from a human rights perspective and to discuss possibilities of concrete 

projects linked to different BIM research fields such as trafficking, asylum or political 

participation. 

26 January 2011 

Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia 

Petranka Delova Miladinova, project manager of the BIM office in Skopje, reported on the 

development of the second project phase, with a special focus on the campaign “One of Every 

Three Macedonians Leads a Patched Life” which was organised in the framework of the 

European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010. 

2 February 2011 

Digital Rights und Human Rights 

Hannes Tretter and Christof Tschohl invited to a brainstorming in order to develop a BIM 

strategy on “digital rights”. The aim was to learn from BIM’s experiences in the field of “data 

protection” and to discuss next possible steps in order to broaden this approach and 

implement “digital rights” and “human rights in the information society” as new research area. 

BIM staff, experts and media representatives attended the workshop. 

7 June 2011 

The role of women in peace and democratisation processes based on the examples of 

Georgia, Azerbaidjan and Armenia 

Sabine Mandl presented three BIM country studies elaborated in a cooperation project with 

CARE. What relevance does the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (women, peace, 

security) have and what different initiatives linked to the resolution exist? 

6 September 2011 

21

Cinema and Human Rights 2011 

“Cinema and Human Rights” is an events series in cooperation with the Research Platform “Human 

Rights in the European Context” and the Viennese Top Kino. Documentaries on human rights topics 

are screened and discussed. The film evenings are also part of a seminar at the University of Vienna. 

Detailed information can be found at: 

http://human-rights.univie.ac.at/veranstaltungsreihen/cinema-and-human-rights/ 

22 

The Green Wave, 10 May 2011 

Nigger, 16 May 2011 

The Prosecutor, 17 May 2011 

The Mormon Proposition, 30 May 2011 

Justice for Sergej, 1 June 2011 

FC Chechnya, 22 July 2011 

Travelogue, 28 July 2011 

No More Fear, 1 December 2011 

War on Terror, 5 December 2011 

Our School, 6 December 2011 

Bastøy, 7 December 2011 

Kimjongilija, 9 December 2011

Human Rights Talks (Public Lecture Series) 2011 

In spring 2009, a new series of discussion events was established by the research platform “Human 

Rights in the European Context” in cooperation with BIM. Austrian and international experts discuss 

current human rights relevant topics from inter-disciplinary points of view. BIM staff usually contributes 

to this events series as panelists or moderators. 

Detailed information can be found at: 

http://human-rights.univie.ac.at/veranstaltungsreihen/human-rights-talks/ 

The Rights of Digital Citizens. Facebook, Google and Cyber crime: New Challenges to EU 

Fundamental Rights in the Digital Era 

19 January 2011 

The future of the European Asylum System – Which lessons can be learned from the situation in 

Greece 

In cooperation with ÖGAVN (Foreign Policy and United Nations Association of Austria) and AFA 

(Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs), 10 March 2011 

Discriminated everywhere? The situation of Roma in the EU 

In cooperation with Amnesty International Austria and the House of the European Union in Vienna, 

29 March 2011 

Compensation for exploitation? Victims of human trafficking and their access to compensation 

In cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice und LEFÖ, 13 April 2011 

The European Integration: Engine for Democratisation Processes and Human Rights? The Case 

of Croatia 

In cooperation with the House of the European Union in Vienna, 18 May 2011 

Role and responsibility of Frontex and the EU Member States in the protection of human rights 

at Europe’s borders 

In cooperation with the European Green Party, 26 May 2011 

Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Hungary in the Órban Era 

In cooporation with the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, 6 June 2011 

US v. Europe – Human Rights Standards, Mechanisms and Policies 

In cooperation with the University of Vienna and Stanford University, 20 June 2011 

Ten years war on terror: European security policy and human rights protection after 9/11 

In cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, 20 September 2011 

One school for all. On the way to an inclusive education system in Europe 

In cooperation with the House of the European Union and Lebenshilfe Österreich, 19 October 2011 

In the Defence of Human Dignity in Belarus: Church and State Policies and Human Rights 

In cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, 10 November 2011 

The universal human rights review as an engine for human rights policy in Europe? 

In cooperation with the Human Rights Film Festival “this human world”, 7 December 2011 

23

University courses 

During summer term 2011 and winter term 2011/12 the following courses were offered by BIM staff 

members: 

Law Faculty, University of Vienna 

Cinema and Human Rights 

Manfred Nowak 

International Criminal Justice 

Manfred Nowak, Frank Höpfel, Gerhard Hafner 

International and European Human Rights Regime 

Julia Kozma, Manfred Nowak 

Human Rights and Business 

Manfred Nowak 

Preventing and Combating Torture 

Manfred Nowak, Moritz Birk, Johanna Lober 

European Studies, postgraduate Master Programme (M.E.S), University of Vienna 

Interdisciplinary Seminar “Europa Online: E-Democracy” 

Christof Tschohl 

Human Rights in Europe 

Margit Ammer, Michael Frahm, Marta Hodasz, Monika Mayrhofer 

LL.M. International Legal Studies, University of Vienna 

Seminar “Human Rights” 

Manfred Nowak 

M.A.I.S. – Master of Advanced International Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna 

Seminar on the Protection of Human Rights 

Manfred Nowak 

Workshop: Human Rights and Gender Issues 

Manfred Nowak 

European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA), Venice 

Human Rights in the Field 

Julia Kozma, Manfred Nowak 

University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, Programme Social Work 

Course “Human rights and human dignity. The basics of the profession” 

Manfred Nowak 

University of Auckland, New Zealand 

International Human Rights 

Manfred Nowak 

Webster University Vienna 

Theories of Human Rights 

Manfred Nowak 

24

BIM Study Series 

published by Neuer Wissenschaftlicher Verlag since 2009: 

Publications 

Volume 16: Benedek, Wolfgang/Gregory, Clare/Kozma, Julia/Nowak, Manfred/Strohal, Christian 

Theuermann, Engelbert (Ed.): Global Standards – Local Action. 15 Years Vienna 

World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 2009. 

Volume 17: Lukas, Karin/Hutter, Franz-Josef: Menschenrechte und Wirtschaft. Die 

menschenrechtliche Verantwortung von Unternehmen, Staaten und der internationalen 

Gemeinschaft, Vienna, 2009. 

Volume 18: Kozma, Julia/Nowak, Manfred/Schmidt, Roland (Ed.): Indicators and Monitoring 

Systems as Preventive Tools for ensuring Peace and Security and Respect for Human 

Rights in External Policy-Making of the EU, Vienna, 2009. 

Volume 19: Buchinger, Kerstin: The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against 

Torture, Vienna, 2009. 

Volume 20: Nowak, Manfred/Schmidt, Roland: Extraordinary Renditions and the Protection of 

Human Rights, Vienna, 2010. 

Volume 21: Hassine, Khaled: Housing & Property Directorate in Kosovo, Vienna, 2009. 

Volume 22: Kozma, Julia/Nowak, Manfred/Scheinin, Martin: A World Court of Human Rights – 

Consolidated Statute and Commentary, Vienna, 2010. 

Monographs 2011 

Ammerer, Heinrich/Windischbauer, Elfriede: Kompetenzorientierter Unterricht in Geschichte und 

Politischer Bildung: Diagnoseaufgabe mit Bildern. Vienna: Zentrum polis, 2011. 

Birk, Moritz/Kozma, Julia/Long, Debra/Schmidt, Roland/Steinerte, Elina/Watts, Zoe Oliver: Pretrial 

Detainees and Torture: Why Pretrial Detainees Face the Greatest Risk. New York: Open Society 

Foundation, 2011. 

Planitzer, Julia/Probst, Evelyn/Steiner, Barbara/Unterlerchner, Barbara: 

Entschädigungsmöglichkeiten für Betroffene des Menschenhandels in Österreich. Vienna: OEGB- 

Verlag, 2011. 

Co-edited 2011 

European Yearbook on Human Rights 11. Ed.: Wolfgang Benedek, Florence Benoit-Rohmer, Karl 

Wolfram, Manfred Nowak, Matthias C. Kettemann. Vienna: Boehlau, 2011. 

Nothing to hide – nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – Solidarität. Jahrbuch 

Menschenrechte 2011. Ed.: Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, Franz Josef Hutter, 

Sabine Kurtenbach, Hannes Tretter. Vienna: NWV, 2011. 

Individual Publications and Articles 2011 

Dörnhöfer, Stefanie/Linder, Barbara/Steinkellner, Astrid: Datenschutz und Corporate Social 

Repsonsibility: stärker zu zweit! In: Nothing to hide – nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – 

Solidarität. Jahrbuch Menschenrechte 2011. Ed.: Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, 

Franz Josef Hutter, Sabine Kurtenbach, Hannes Tretter. Vienna: Boehlau, 2011. pp. 226-242. 

25

Kinzelbach, Kathrin/Kozma, Julia: Portraying Normative Legitimacy: The EU in Need of Institutional 

Safeguards for Human Rights. In: The Politics of European Security Policies. Ed.: Xyemna 

Kurowska, Patryk Pawlak. London: Routledge, 2011. 

Kozma, Julia/Nowak, Manfred/Scheinin, Martin: A World Court of Human Rights. Consolidated 

Draft Statue. In: Protecting Dignity: An Agenda for Human Rights. Geneva: Swiss Federal Affairs 

and Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, 2011. pp. 46-59. 

Liegl, Barbara: Rechtliche Mindeststandards als Grundlage für Diversity Management. In: 

Praxisbuch Diversity Management. Ed.: Norbert Pauser, Manfred Wondrak. Vienna: Facultas, 

2011. pp. 59-77. 

Liegl, Barbara/Spitaler, Georg: Duell der Legionäre – Helden des Wiener Derbies aus dem 

Ausland. In: Alles Derby! 100 Jahre Rapid gegen Austria. Ed.: E. Schütz, D. Jacono, M. Marschik. 

Göttingen: Die Werkstatt, 2011. 

Lober, Johanna: Spannungsfeld von Beratung und Kontrolle. Wirksamkeitsfaktoren von nationalem 

Menschenrechtsmonitoring am Beispiel des österreichischen Menschenrechtsbeirates. In: 

Grundrechtsmonitoring. Chancen und Grenzen des außergerichtlichen Menschenrechtsschutzes. 

Ed.: Christoph Gusy. Baden-Baden: Nomos, 2011. pp. 77-104. 

Lukas, Karin/Steinkellner, Astrid: Menschenrechtsschutz durch Maßnahmen der Handelspolitik? In: 

juridikum – Zeitschrift für Kritik, Recht, Gesellschaft. No. 3. Vienna: Verlag Österreich, 2011. 

Lukas, Karin: Human Rights in the Supply Chain. In: The UN Guiding Principles on Business and 

Human Rights. Foundations and Implementation. Ed.: Radu Mares. Leiden: Nijhoff, 2011. 

Nowak, Manfred/Schmidt, Roland: Hybrid Courts – Best of both worlds or caught between two 

stools. In: Interdisciplinary Studies of Comparative and Private International Law. Vol. II. Ed.: Bea 

Verschraegen. Vienna: Jan Sramek, 2011. 

Nowak, Manfred: Preface. In: Humiliation, Degradation, Dehumanization. Human Dignity Violated. 

Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy/24. Ed.: Paulus Kaufmann, Hannes Kuch et al. Vienna [et 

al.]: Springer, 2011. pp. V-VI. 

Nowak, Manfred: Auf dem Weg zu einem Weltgerichtshof für Menschenrechte. In: Nothing to hide 

– nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – Solidarität. Jahrbuch Menschenrechte 2011. Ed.: 

Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, Franz Josef Hutter, Sabine Kurtenbach, Hannes 

Tretter. Vienna: Böhlau, 2011. pp. 364-380. 

Nowak, Manfred: Torture and Condition of Detention in the 21st Century. 60 Recommendations to 

States and the United Nations after Six Years of Experience as the UN Special Rapporteur on 

Torture. In: European Yearbook on Human Rights 11. Ed.: Wolfgang Benedek, Florence Benoit- 

Rohmer, Karl Wolfram, Manfred Nowak, Matthias C. Kettemann. Vienna: NWV, 2011. pp. 549-558. 

Nowak, Manfred: Zur Arbeit des UN-Sonderberichterstatters über Folter. In: Folterprävention im 

völkerrechtlichen Mehrebenensystem. Studien zu Grund- und Menschenrechten, Vol. 16. Ed.: 

Andreas Zimmermann. Potsdam: Universitätsverlag Potsdam, 2011. pp. 71-79. 

Nowak, Manfred: The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Experience and Challenges. In: Human 

Rights and Science. Nova Acta Leopoldina, Vol. 113, No. 387. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche 

Verlagsgesellschaft, 2011. pp. 25-28. 

Nowak, Manfred: The Crime of Torture. In: Global Violence. Consequences and responses. Forty 

years of excellence in Humanitarian Dialogue: The 40th Anniversary of the International Institute of 

Humanitarian Law, 33rd Round Table on Current Issues of International Humanitarian Law (San 

Remo, 9.-11. September 2010). Ed.: Marco Odello, Gian Luca Beruto. Milano: Angeli, 2011. 

Nowak, Manfred: Report of the Panel on Human Dignity. In: Panel on Human Dignity – An Agenda 

for Human Rights. 2011 Report. Geneva: Swiss Federal Affairs and Geneva Academy of 

International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, 2011. pp. 11-40. 

26

Nowak, Manfred: A World Court of Human Rights. In: Panel on Human Dignity – An Agenda for 

Human Rights. 2011 Report. Geneva: Swiss Federal Affairs and Geneva Academy of International 

Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, 2011. pp. 41-44. 

Nowak, Manfred: Outline for Action on Detention. In: Panel on Human Dignity – An Agenda for 

Human Rights. 2011 Report. Geneva: Swiss Federal Affairs and Geneva Academy of International 

Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, 2011. pp. 93-94.f 

Nowak, Manfred: Foreword on a World Court of Human Rights and Report of the Eminent Persons 

Panel-Protecting Dignity. In: Panel on Human Dignity – An Agenda for Human Rights. 2011 Report. 

Geneva: Swiss Federal Affairs and Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and 

Human Rights, 2011. pp. 54-59. 

Nowak, Manfred: Das Amt des UN-Sonderberichterstatters über Folter – Eine Bilanz nach 6 

Jahren. In: Vereinte Nationen. Die UN und Menschenrechte. Jg. 59, Heft 5. Berlin: Berliner 

Wissenschaftsverlag, 2011. pp. 202-209. 

Nowak, Manfred: Buchbesprechung. Christoph A. Spenlé. Die Staatenberichtsverfahren der UNO- 

Menschenrechtsverträge. Zur Notwendigkeit einer Reform der Kontrollmechanismen der UNO- 

Menschenrechtsverträge. In: ZÖR – Zeitschrift für Öffentliches Recht. Vol. 66. Zurich [et al.]: 

Schultes, 2011. pp. 393-396. 

Planitzer, Julia/Sax, Helmut: Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation in 

Austria. In: Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation. Ed.: Conny Rijken. 

Nijmegen: Wolf Legal Publishers, 2011. pp. 1-72. 

Sax, Helmut: Kinderrechte in der Verfassung – was nun? In: Zeitschrift für Ehe- und 

Familiengesetz (EF-Z). Vienna: Manz, 2011. pp. 204-210. 

Sax, Helmut: Kinderrechte vollinhaltlich umgesetzt? In: Jus Alumni Magazin. Heft 03/2011. Vienna: 

LexisNexis, 2011. 

Steinkellner, Astrid: Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Menschenrechte: Juristisches Arbeiten am Puls 

der Zeit. In: Marburg Law Review No. 1. Marburg: Marburg Law Review e.V., 2011. pp. 67-69. 

Tretter, Hannes: Artikel 3 der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention. In: Österreichisches 

Bundesverfassungsrecht. Textsammlung und Kommentar. Vol. 3. Ed.: Karl Korinek, Michael 

Holoubek. Vienna: Verlag Österreich, 2011. 

Tretter, Hannes: Editorial. In: Nothing to hide – nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – 

Solidarität. Jahrbuch Menschenrechte 2011. Ed.: Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, 

Franz Josef Hutter, Sabine Kurtenbach, Hannes Tretter. Vienna: Boehlau, 2011. pp. 9-17. 

Tretter, Hannes: Die EU aus datenschutzrechtlicher Sicht. Ein Raum der Freiheit, der Sicherheit 

und des Rechts? In: Nothing to hide – nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – Solidarität. 

Jahrbuch Menschenrechte 2011. Ed.: Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, Franz Josef 

Hutter, Sabine Kurtenbach, Hannes Tretter. Vienna: Boehlau, 2011. pp. 34-50. 

Tschohl, Christof: Der Europäische Vorrat an Daten über Kommunikationsverhalten. In: Nothing to 

hide – nothing to fear? Datenschutz – Transparenz – Solidarität. Jahrbuch Menschenrechte 2011. 

Ed.: Heiner Bielefeldt, Volkmar Deile, Brigitte Hamm, Franz Josef Hutter, Sabine Kurtenbach, 

Hannes Tretter. Vienna: Boehlau, 2011. pp. 74-86. 

Tschohl, Christof: Die Anonymität im Internet – Umsetzung der Vorratsdatenspeicherungs- 

Richtlinie im österreichischen Telekom-, Strafprozess- und Sicherheitspolizeigesetz. In: Aktuelle 

Rechtsfragen der Internetnutzung. Vol. 2. Ed.: Wojciech Jaksch-Ratajczak und Arthur Stadler. 

Vienna: Facultas, 2011. pp. 341-359. 

Weichselbaum, Barbara: Grundrechte, Grundfreiheiten und der Vertrag von Lissabon. Neues zum 

Thema Kollektivverhandlungen und kollektive Maßnahmen. In: DRdA – Das Recht der Arbeit. No. 

2. Vienna: Bundeskammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte, 2011. pp. 103-111. 

27

Weichselbaum, Barbara: Betteln als Verwaltungsstrafbestand – die grundrechtliche Sicht am 

Beispiel des Verbots “gewerbsmäßigen Bettelns”. In: JRP – Journal für Rechtspolitik. Heft 19. 

Vienna [et al.]: Springer, 2011. pp. 93-109. 

Weichselbaum, Barbara: Des Nachbarn Leid, des Sammlers Freud. In: Casebook 

Verwaltungsrecht. Ed.: Harald Eberhard, Markus Vasek. Vienna: Facultas, 2011. pp. 91-100. 

Weichselbaum, Barbara: 30 Minuten reichen aus um eine Abschiebung am Flughafen zu stoppen. 

Besprechung (VwGH 23.9.2010, 209/21/0361). In: migraLex No. 3. Ed.: Heinz Mayer, Clemens 

Jabloner, Ewald Wiederin, Christoph Grabenwarter. Vienna: Facultas, 2011. pp. 89-90. 

Studies, Working Papers, Reports 2011 

Kozma, Julia/Lubich, Alexander: Thematic Legal Study on Access to Justice. European Union 

Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2011. 

Krisper, Stefanie: Bundesgesetz mit dem u.a. das Fremdenpolizeigesetz 2005 geändert wird. 

January 2011. 

Lukas, Karin: Unternehmensverantwortung und autoritäre Regime. March 2011. 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/de/menschenrechte-wirtschaft/unternehmensverantwortung-autoritaere-regime 

Mandl, Sabine: Women in Georgia. Peace, Security and Democracy from a Women's Rights 

Perspective. Desk-research carried out in the framework of the CARE-Project “Strengthening 

Women's Capacity for Peace-building in the South Caucasus Region”, 2011. 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/files/sites/bim/Women%20in%20Georgia_Peace_Security_Democracy_0.pdf 

Mandl, Sabine: Women in Armenia. Peace, Security and Democracy from a Women's Rights 



http://bim.lbg.ac.at/files/sites/bim/Women%20in%20Armenia_Peace_Security_Democracy_0.pdf 

Mandl, Sabine: Women in Azerbaijan. Peace, Security and Democracy from a Women's Rights 



http://bim.lbg.ac.at/files/sites/bim/Women%20in%20Azerbaijan_Peace_Security_Democracy_0.pdf 

Expert Opinions and Statements 2011 

Ammer, Margit/Crowley, Niall/Holzleithner, Elisabeth/Liegl, Barbara/Wladasch, Katrin/Yesilkagit, 

Kutsal: Study on Equality Bodies set up under Directives 2000/43/EC, 2004/113/EC and 

2006/54/EC. Utrecht, Vienna: Human European Consultancy & Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of 

Human Rights, 2011. 

http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=6454&langId=en 

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights: Statement on the government's draft of the 

“Änderung des B-VG und OPCAT-Durchführungsgesetz”. July 2011. 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/files/sites/bim/BIM_Stellungnahme%20zur%20OPCAT- 

Umsetzung_4%20Juli%202011_Annex%201+2.pdf 

Sax, Helmut: Stellungnahme zum Bundesverfassungsgesetz über die Rechte von Kindern 2011, 

Verfassungsausschuss des Nationalrats, January 2011. 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/de/aktuelles/kinderrechte-verfassung-leider-nur-halbherzig-mutlos 

Tretter, Hannes: Analysis of the Protection of Electronic Communications according to the Law of 

Electronic Communication Law (ECL) considering the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) whether 

they are in conformity with EU-Standards. IPA 2009 – Implementation of Personal Data Protection 

Strategy in Montenegro (MN 09 IB JH 03), 4 March 2011. 

28

Tretter, Hannes: Analysis of the Law on Identity Cards 2010 and the Law on Travel Documents 

2008 with regard to conformity with EU-Standards. IPA 2009 – Implementation of Personal Data 

Protection Strategy in Montenegro (MN 09 IB JH 03), 3 June 2011 

Tretter, Hannes: Compatibility of the Law on the National Security Agency 2011 with the relevant 

EU data protection legislation and data protection standards in the EU. IPA 2009 – Implementation 

of Personal Data Protection Strategy in Montenegro (MN 09 IB JH 03), 27 October 2011 

Tretter, Hannes: Was Libyens Zivilbevölkerung von Europa braucht. In: Der Standard. 7 March 

2011. Vienna: Der Standard, 2011. 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/de/stellungnahmen-gutachten/position-des-ludwig-boltzmann-institut-fuermenschenrechte-zur-revolution-libyen 

Periodicals 2011 

polis aktuell. Magazine for teachers and multipliers 

� 1/2011: Menschenrechte, Politik und Medien in der Volksschule 

� 2/2011: Stadt und Politik 

� 3/2011: Auf dem Weg zu einer europäischen Identität? 

� 4/2011: Gesetze 

� 5/2011: Atomkraft pro und contra. Ideen zum fächerverbindenden Unterricht in politischer 

Bildung 

� 6/2011: Leben und Lernen in der digitalen Welt – Menschenrechte in der 

Informationsgesellschaft 

� 7/2011: Stadt und Politik 

� 8/2011: Klassengemeinschaft 

polis elektronic newsletter 

Electronic newsletter on a regular basis with comprehensive information on citizenship education, 

human rights education, consumer education and education for sustainable development. 

www.politik-lernen.at/newsletter 

Translations 2011 

Children's rights alliance for England (Ed.): Wir möchten's wissen. (OT: How children and young 

people can have a say in European and international decision-making.). Translation: Ludwig 

Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights. Vienna, 2011. 

www.politik-lernen.at/site/gratisshop/shop.item/105993.html 

Französische Menschenrechtsliga (Ed.): Unter Beobachtung. (OT: Under Surveillance). 

Translation: Zentrum polis. Vienna, 2011. 

www.politik-lernen.at/site/gratisshop/shop.item/106024.html 

e.ma Masterthesis 

Cunniffe, Diarmuid: “The Worst Scars are in the Mind” – Deconstructing Psychological Torture 

Povolna, Michaela: No Cure for Data That’s Insecure. An Analysis of the European Health Data 

Protection Safeguards 

29

National private and 

public busisness 

8,6% 

Funding Ludwig Boltzmann Association 2011 

Universities 

1,3% 

International 

organisations 

2,0% 

European Union 

73,7% 

Ludwig Boltzmann 

Association 

6,1% 

Foundations 

0,9% 

Federal funding 

7,4% 

Finances 

Activities of the BIM are implemented via three different legal entities: the Ludwig Boltzmann 

Association, the BIM-Research Association and the University of Vienna in the framework of the 

Research Platform “Human Rights in the European Context”. 

The budget allocated to the Ludwig Boltzmann Association amounts to € 1,95 million in 2011, the 

part processed via the Research Association are € 690,000, the Research Platform operates with 

an annual budget of € 120,000. 

Funding of the BIM comes from a broad spectrum of different sources and is mainly project-based. 

The following charts show how funding is divided according to donors and cooperation partners: 

Chamber of Commerce, 

Chamber of Labour 

0,2% 

National pivate and public 

business 

9,8% 

Universities 

3,9% 

Funding BIM-Research Association 2011 

Private funding 

2,3% 

European 

Union 

6,0% 

Foundations 

4,2% 

Other 

0,9% 

Federal funding 

72,7% 

31

Team of directors 

Manfred NOWAK LBI Director 

Fiona STEINERT Managing Director 

Hannes TRETTER LBI Director 

Permanent staff 

Human Dignity and Public Security 

Julia KOZMA 

Team leader 

Combating torture 

Moritz BIRK Combating torture 

Tiphanie CRITTIN Combating torture 

Research Platform “Human Rights in the 

European Context” 

Staff 

Dominik HOFMANN Human Rights Advisory Board, secretariat RA 

Stephanie KRISPER Human Rights Advisory Board, Commissions 2 

and 3 

Barbara KURZ Human Rights Advisory Board, Commissions 2 

and 3 

Univ. 

Vienna 

Johanna LOBER Combating torture Univ. 

Vienna 

Caroline PAAR Human Rights Advisory Board, secretariat RA 

Roland SCHMIDT Combating torture (until August 2011) 

Julia ZEILINGER Combating torture, research fellow German 

Academic Exchange Service (until April 2011) 

Human Rights in Development Cooperation and Business 

Karin LUKAS Team leader 

Development cooperation, Business and 

Human Rights 

Karin LEITNER Development cooperation, trainee of the 

Austrian Chamber of Commerce (until February 

2011) 

Barbara LINDER 

Business and Human Rights 

PhD Fellow, college “Empowerment through 

Human Rights” 

Christine SOMMER Development cooperation 

RA 

RA 

Univ. 

Vienna 

33

Claudia SPRENGER Development cooperation, rights of people with 

disabilities 

Astrid STEINKELLNER 

34 

Business and Human Rights, fundamental rights 

CSR RA 

Christof TSCHOHL Data protection, fundamental rights 

Petranka DELOVA BIM Skopje RA 

Jagoda ILJOV BIM Skopje RA 

Stojan MISEV BIM Skopje RA 

Ninoslav MLADENOVIC BIM Skopje RA 

European Neighbourhood and Integration Policy 

Susanne FRACZEK Team leader 

Heidrun AIGNER Project management 

Claudia HÜTTNER Project management 

Marion KIRSCH Project management 

Karin LEITNER Project assistant, trainee of the Austrian 

Chamber of Commerce (until February 2011) 

Anna MÜLLER-FUNK 

Antidiscrimination, Asylum, Migration 

Barbara LIEGL 

EU Fundamental Rights Agency RA 



Team leader (until September 2011) 

Anti-discrimination 

Resident Twinning Advisor in Croatia 

“Establishing a comprehensive system for antidiscrimination 

protection” (since November 

2011) 

Margit AMMER Anti-discrimination, Asylum 

Michael FRAHM Anti-discrimination, Asylum 

Katharina KÖHLER Anti-discrimination (on unpaid leave since 

February 2008) 

Monika MAYRHOFER Anti-discrimination 

Katrin WLADASCH Team leader (since October 2011) 

Anti-discrimination 

Univ. 

Vienna 

RA 

RA

Women’s Rights, Child Rights, Trafficking in Human Beings 

Helmut SAX Team leader 

Child rights, trafficking in human beings, 

development cooperation 

Angelika KARTUSCH Women’s rights (on maternal leave until August 

2011) 

Sabine MANDL Women’s rights RA, 

Julia PLANITZER Women’s rights, trafficking in human beings 

Human Rights Education 

Patricia HLADSCHIK Team leader 

PhD Fellow, college “Empowerment through 

Human Rights” 

Zentrum polis 

Ingrid AUSSERER Zentrum polis RA 

Maria HAUPT Zentrum polis RA 

Dorothea STEURER Zentrum polis RA 

Elisabeth TUREK Zentrum polis RA 

Administration, Assistance, University Lectures 

Helga BAUMSCHABL Secretariat, COST Action RA 

Margit BRAUN Secretariat 

Grazyna CZEMRYSZEWSKA Cleaning RA 

Tina HOFSTÄTTER Assistant to Prof. Manfred Nowak Univ. 

Vienna 

Vreni HOCKENJOS 

Rainer JANTSCHER IT-Support 

Doctoral college “Empowerment through Human 

Rights” 

Coordination of the European Master’s Degree 

in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA) 

Karolina JANUSZEWSKI Assistant to Prof. Nowak Univ. 

Vienna 

Petra MACHACEK Library 

Martin NEUBAUER Administration, accounting 

Karl SCHÖNSWETTER Accounting RA 

Tanja VOSPERNIK Library (on maternal leave since August 2010) 

Barbara WEICHSELBAUM Assistant to Prof. Hannes Tretter Univ. 

Vienna 

LBG 

RA 

FV 

35

Katharina WÖLFEL 

36 

Project development 



Susanne ZANJAT Secretariat, apprentice RA 

Fellowship 

Marianna KONDICS Research fellow of the long-term programme of 

“Civic Education in Action” of the Federal 

Agency for Civic Education and the Robert 

Bosch Foundation (since November 2011) 

Volunteers, academic trainees, interns 

Julia BASCHKATOW Elena CASTELLUCCI 

Gabriele DETSCHMANN Maren-Kathrin DIEKMANN 

Daniel DAROUSSIS Petra ENENGEL 

Andrea FÖDERLER Ermano GEUER 

Lilian Sarah HAGENLOCHER Karin HUBER 

Thomas HUBER Karin JOVIC 

Marlene KEUSCH Franziska KOHLER� 

Verena LEITNER Gosia LUKASIK 

Andrea MEYER Maria NAASS 

Simona NASTINCOVA Christoph NOTHDURFT 

Jimy PERUMADAN Stella REHBEIN 

Matthias SCHLÖGL Natalia STRAROWICZ 

Ulrike VAISHAIPL Elisabeth WEBER 

Evelyn-Maria WIGGERT Julia WOJTA 

Board and auditors BIM Research Association 

Hannes TRETTER Director 

Fiona STEINERT Director 

Andreas LUMMERSTORFER Auditor 

Jutta ZALUD Auditor 

Univ. 

Vienna 

RA

Projects 

Fundamental Rights / Human Rights 

COST Action: The Role of the EU in UN Human Rights Reform……………………………………………………...39 

Assistance to the Management Board of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency ......................................................40 

“this human word” – Vienna International Human Rights Filmfestival.....................................................................41 

Training Curriculum on Fundamental Rights for Judgeship Trainees .....................................................................42 

E.MA – European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation...........................................................43 

Human Dignity and Public Security 

Atlas of Torture: Monitoring and Preventing Torture Worldwide .............................................................................44 

The Awareness Raising and Training Measures for the Istanbul Protocol in Europe Project .................................45 

Assistance to the Human Rights Advisory Board and its Visiting Commissions at the Austrian Ministry of the 

Interior ..................................................................................................................................................................46 

Training in torture prevention for human rights defenders in Azerbaijan ................................................................47 

Human Rights in Development Cooperation and Business 

Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia..................................................................................................48 

Inclusive Tanzania - inclusive education and political participation of persons with disabilities through 

empowerment and capacity building ......................................................................................................................49 

Extrajudicial Complaint Mechanisms – Resolving Conflicts of Interests between Business and Human Rights ....50 

Consultancy of the Austrian Export Credit Agency (OeKB) on a Human Rights Based Approach in Export 

Services..................................................................................................................................................................51 

OMV Gap Analysis. Advice to OMV in the area of human rights............................................................................52 

European Neighbourhood and Integration Policy 

EU-Twinning – Implementation Capacity of Turkish Police to Prevent Disproportionate Use of Force ..................53 

EU-Twinning – Support to the enhancement of the capacity of the Ombudsman administration ...........................54 

EU-Twinning – Promoting Gender Equality in Working Life ...................................................................................55 

EU-Twinning – Implementation of Personal Data Protection Strategy....................................................................56 

EU-Twinning – Establishing a comprehensive system for anti-discrimination protection........................................57 

DANIDA – Turkey Political Criteria Programme (TPCP II)......................................................................................59 

Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Asylum 

Access to Justice in Discrimination Cases………………………………………………………………………………..60 

RED-Network – Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance.........................................................................61 

Analysis of the Ombudsman Offices of the APOR region of the I.O.I. ....................................................................62 

Elective Course of Lectures on “Protection against Discrimination” .......................................................................63 

Analysis of the Judicial Protection in the Austrian Asylum Proceedings.................................................................64 

The Protection of Survivors of Torture Seeking Asylum in Austria .........................................................................65 

ClimMig: Climate-induced migration and displacement and the need for new legal, policy and institutional 

frameworks.............................................................................................................................................................66 

PluS – Plurilingual speakers in unilingual contexts. Migrants from African countries in Vienna: Language practices 

and institutional Communication.............................................................................................................................67 

Women's Rights, Child Rights, Anti-Trafficking 

Strengthening Women’s Capacities in peace building in the Region of South Caucasus.......................................68 

COMP.ACT – European Action for Compensation for Trafficked Persons .............................................................69 

Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation............................................................................70 

Trafficking in Human Beings as a form of Torture ..................................................................................................71 

Assistance and reintegration of child victims of trafficking – ARECHIVIC ..............................................................72 

End violence against children and juveniles in custody ..........................................................................................73 

DAPHNE Diffusion – Information tools for a DAPHNE programme community......................................................74 

37

Children’s views on involvement in European and international decision-making ..................................................75 

INTEGRACE – Integrating Refugee and Asylum-seeking Children in the Educational Systems of EU Member 

States .....................................................................................................................................................................76 

Human Rights Education 

polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools .................................................................................77 

VOICE. Developing citizens. Paths to core-competencies through a problem-based learning project in civic 

education................................................................................................................................................................78 

Digital Rights 

Study on Data Security within the Transposition of Data Retention Directive in Austria.........................................79 

38

COST Action: The Role of the EU in UN Human Rights Reform 

Summary 

The new COST Action The Role of the EU in UN Human Rights Reform builds upon the cooperation of 

the AHRI network (Association of Human Rights Institutes) in the framework of the former COST 

Action Human Rights, Peace and Security in EU Foreign Policy. The new project started officially with 

a start-up meeting in February 2009. The main objective of the Action is to increase and consolidate 

knowledge of the ongoing process of institutional and procedural reforms of the United Nations human 

rights system, so as to recommend standpoints for the European Union in this process working 

towards strengthening the protection of human rights worldwide. 

The total number of participating countries (presently 17) has more than doubled since the start of the 

Action. During 2009, four countries (Iceland, Ireland, Israel and Spain) joined the Action, and in 2010 

another five countries (FYR of Macedonia, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland and Sweden). The Graduate 

School of Public and Development Management – University of the Witswatersrand from South Africa 

is joining the Action as institution from a non-COST country since the year 2011. 

In the context of the UN treaty body reform, the most innovative idea of reform – the creation of a 

World Court of Human Rights – emanates directly from the COST Action. The consolidated version of 

a draft statute for a World Court has been published in 2010 (by Julia Kozma, Manfred Nowak and 

Martin Scheinin). Furthermore, various innovative ideas of reforming the Human Rights Council were 

developed and discussed. Another focus of the Action has been on developments regarding 

partnerships and UN human rights development tools. In the year 2011, three publications (titles see 

below) have been financed by the Action’s budget. 

The Annual Conference of 2011 “The right(s) moment is now!” took place in Venice (co-hosted by the 

European Inter-University Centre EIUC, Venice, and the BIM, Vienna) – with practitioners, researchers 

and experts from member institutions as well as scholars and scientists from European universities. 

→ http://w3.cost.esf.org/index.php?id=233&action_number=IS0702 

→ www.ahri-network.org 

Countries Europe 

Persons 

involved 

Management Committee 

Chair 

Manfred Nowak 

BIM COST participants Julia Kozma 

Karin Lukas 

Tina Hofstätter 

Administration Helga Baumschabl 

Contact Helga Baumschabl, cost-is0702@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

COST Office, 

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute 

of Human Rights, Research 

Platform “Human Rights in 

the European Context” 

2009 to 2013 

Partner 

organisation 

Association of Human Rights 

Institutes 

Publications Vandenhole, Wouter/Gready, Paul: Human Rights and Development in the New 

Millenium: Towards a Theory of Change, 2011 

Buhmann, Karin/Ryngaert, Cedric: Business and Human Rights in Conflict Zones, 

2011 

Mares, Radu: The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, 2011 

Funded by European Commission – Research Framework Programme, European Science 

Foundation 

39

Assistance to the Management Board of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency 

Summary 

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), established on 1 March 2007 in Vienna, 

has resumed and continuously expanded the work of the former European Monitoring Centre on 

Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) in 2008. The Agency’s objective is to provide the relevant institutions 

and authorities of the EU and its member states with assistance and expertise relating to fundamental 

rights when implementing the Community law. 

Above and beyond giving advice to institutions and Member States, FRA is in charge of the collection 

and analysis of comparable information and data on the fundamental rights situation and its 

development in the EU, as well as in developing methods and standards to improve the quality and 

comparability of data at EU level. The Agency’s main tasks further comprise the realisation and 

promotion of scientific research and surveys as well as cooperation with civil society and awarenessraising, 

aimed at the establishment of a network through a Fundamental Rights Platform. On 23 

January 2008 the Council adopted a Multiannual Framework for the Agency according to which FRA 

will primarily be engaged in the following issues: racism, xenophobia and intolerance, all forms of 

discrimination, compensation of victims, the rights and protection of children, asylum, immigration and 

integration, visa and border control, the right to democratic participation in the EU, data protection and 

respect for private life, and last not least access to efficient and independent justice. 

Hannes Tretter is the Austrian independent member of the Management Board (MB) of FRA, which is 

in charge of the formulation of a Multiannual Framework Programme for the Agency, the determination 

of FRA’s annual work programme and budgeting, the adoption of the annual report and the 

appointment and dismissal of the Agency’s director. On 7 March 2008 the MB decided to appoint 

Morten Kjærum from Denmark as first Director of the Agency, who took up his post on 1 June 2008. In 

his function as vice chair of the FRA MB, Hannes Tretter is also member of the Executive Board, which 

prepares the decisions of the MB and consults the director. In December 2009 at the eighth FRA MB 

meeting, Hannes Tretter has been re-elected as the vice chair of the FRA MB. 

In the exercise of these functions the scientific assistance provided by the BIM is essential, with regard 

to research on and suitable preparation of issues and questions in the context of the tasks of FRA and 

the MB. Additionally it includes the organisation and professional managing of Round Table 

Discussions, the coordination of scientific institutions, NGOs, political actors and public authorities, as 

well as the dissemination of information on FRA’s activities amongst the latter and the public. 

→ http://fra.europa.eu 

Country Austria 

Persons 

involved 

40 

Vice Chair of FRA 

Management Board 

Scientific and administrative 

assistance 

Hannes Tretter 

Anna Müller-Funk 

Contact person Anna Müller-Funk, anna.mueller-funk@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 


of Human Rights – 

Research Association 

Ongoing since September 2007 

Funded by Austrian Federal Chancellery 

Partner 

organisation 

-

“this human word” – Vienna International Human Rights Filmfestival 

Summary 

From the 30 th of November to the 10 th of December 2011, the Human Rights Film Festival “this human 

world” took place for the fourth time, with BIM as one of the main partners of the festival. On the 

occasion of the international human rights day (10 December), the festival aims to raise awareness of 

the worldwide situation of human rights. More than 100 films were screened, highlighting the variety of 

human rights issues. As a research institution, BIM took on the role of analysing the issues raised in 

the films from a human rights perspective and making them accessible for the wider audience by 

hosting panel discussions with BIM as well as invited experts. These events were also part of the 

seminar “Cinema and Human Rights”, which was offered during the winter term at the University of 

Vienna for the sixth time. During the Film Festival, BIM put on five film screenings, all followed by panel 

discussions. One of the highlights of the festival was the screening of the world premiere, “War on 

Terror”, (directed by Sebastian J.F.) at the Gartenbaukino which was followed by a discussion with 

Marjorie Cohn (Author of “The United States and Torture”), Sebastian J.F. (Director), Manfred Nowak 

(Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights and University of Vienna) and Heinz Patzelt (Amnesty 

International). The other films screened were the documentary “No More Fear”, which traces the story 

of the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia; “Kimjongilia”, a depiction of the human rights situation in North 

Korea achieved through the use of interviews with North Korean dissidents and the inclusion of the 

regime’s propaganda; “Bastoy”, a film which portrays an unusual project conducted in a Norwegian jail; 

as well as “Our School”, in which the filmmaker follows the lives of children from the Roma community 

in Romania over the course of four years. HUMAN RIGHTS TALKS were also held within the 

framework of the festival. In total, the festival attracted an audience of more than 2,000 visitors. 

→ www.thishumanworld.at 

→ http://human-rights.univie.ac.at 


Persons 

involved 

Organisation Anna Müller-Funk 

BIM experts Manfred Nowak 

Margit Ammer 

Julia Kozma 

Anna Müller-Funk 

Julia Planitzer 

Helmut Sax 


Contact person Anna Müller-Funk, anna.mueller-funk@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

Top Kino, Wien Partner 

organisations 

30 November to 10 December 2011 

� Ludwig Boltzmann 

Institute of Human Rights 

� Human Rights League 

� Amnesty International 

� Research Platform 

“Human Rights in the 


� many others 

Funded by Funding: Wien Kultur, Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture, 

Austrian Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and others 

Sponsoring: Air Berlin, Der Standard, Museumsquartier, and others 

41

Training Curriculum on Fundamental Rights for Judgeship Trainees 

Summary 

In cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Association of Austrian Judges (Department 

Fundamental Rights) and two other Austrian human rights institutes, BIM has been developing a 

human rights curriculum for judgeship trainees. In 2008 a first round of fundamental rights seminars 

was conducted, which have continuously been modified and optimised based upon both, the lecturers’ 

experiences and the feedback received from the participants. In 2011 altogether 4 seminars took 

place, 2 of them within the district of the higher regional court Vienna, arranged by the BIM-team in 

May and September 2011. After the decision of all partners to extend the seminars, the fundamental 

rights trainings now take three days, are mandatory for judgeship trainees and relevant for their 

examination. The evaluation shows constantly a high degree of respect within the target group. 

The seminars are based on a tandem-principle, which means that human rights experts from the three 

institutes train the participants together with senior judges. The curriculum has a strong focus on the 

rights and freedoms guaranteed by the “European Convention on Human Rights” and the “EU Charta 

of Fundamental Rights”, e.g. the right to liberty and security, the right to a fair trial, the right to respect 

for private and family life, freedom of expression and the prohibition of discrimination. 


Persons 

involved 

42 

Legal researchers, lecturers Astrid Steinkellner 

Stefanie Dörnhöfer 


Project leader Hannes Tretter 

Contact person Christof Tschohl, christof.tschohl@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 


of Human Rights 

Ongoing since April 2007 

Partner 

organisations 

� Association of Austrian 

Judges (Fundamental 

Rights Department) 

� Federal Ministry of Justice 

� Austrian Human Rights 

Institute (ÖIM), Salzburg 

� European Training Centre 

for Democracy and 

Human Rights (ETC), 

Graz 

Publication Buchinger, Kerstin/Hodasz, Marta/Steinkellner, Astrid/Tretter, Hannes/Tschohl, 

Christof/Apostolovski, Veronika/Kumar, Sarah/Starl, Klaus/Czech, Philip/Schöpfer, 

Eduard Christian: Grundrechte im gerichtlichen Berufsalltag, Skriptum zum RiAA- 

Grundrechtsmodul 2010. Vienna: Federal Ministry of Justice, 2010 

http://bim.lbg.ac.at/en/training-curriculum-fundamental-rights-judgeshiptrainees/skriptum-fuer-grundrechteseminar-fuer-riaa-erhaeltlich 

Funded by � Federal Ministry of Justice (concept, script) 

� Higher Regional Courts of Vienna, Graz, Linz and Innsbruck (seminars)

E.MA – European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation 

Summary 

The European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation (E.MA) is a one-year, interuniversity 

and inter-disciplinary postgraduate programme. The programme aims at educating experts in 

the field of human rights and democratisation and to prepare them for their future work in international 

and human rights oriented organisations, such as the EU, UN, OSCE and NGOs. 

During the first semester, which is taught in Venice, the students receive a comprehensive introduction 

into the historical, philosophical, anthropological, political and legal fundamentals of international 

human rights. At the end of the first semester, the BIM organises a field trip to Kosovo. The students 

spend the summer semester in one of the 41 participating universities all over the EU, where they take 

part in seminars and write their master thesis. 

In 2011, two Master students (“Masterini”) from the Czech Republic and Ireland came to Vienna during 

their second semester. Their theses focused on the European Health Data Protection Safeguards and 

the Deconstruction of Psychological Torture. 

→ www.emahumanrights.org 

→ www.eiuc.org 

Countries EU Member States 

Persons 

involved 

E.MA National Director Manfred Nowak 

E.MA National Coordinator Vreni Hockenjos 

Thesis supervisors Andreas Lehner 

Julia Kozma 

Johanna Lober 

Organiser of the Kosovo field 

trip 

Marijana Grandits 

Contact person Vreni Hockenjos, vreni.hockenjos@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

European Inter-University 

Centre for Human Rights 

and Democratisation (EIUC) 

Ongoing since September 1997 

Publications E.MA Awarded Theses Collection 

Partner 

organisations 

41 participating universities in 

all EU Member States 

Funded by � European Commission 

� Regione del Veneto, IT 

� Municipality of Venice, IT 

� United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 

� Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 

� Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) 

43

Atlas of Torture: Monitoring and Preventing Torture Worldwide 

Summary 

After the end of Manfred Nowak’s tenure as UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (UNSRT) the BIM antitorture 

expert team is implementing a follow-up project in five countries visited during Prof. Nowak's 

tenure. The project titled “Atlas of Torture” is funded by the EU and will focus on the empowerment of 

civil society organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen their capacity in the field of torture 

prevention. Over a period of three years the project foresees various activities, including trainings, 

workshops and the development of manuals etc. in the areas of fighting impunity (lodging effective 

complaints etc.), strengthening legal safeguards (access to lawyers, the role of medical personnel as 

well as judges) and developing independent monitoring of places of detention. 

In the course of 2011, the first implementation cycle was started in the project countries Paraguay, 

Georgia and Moldova. In all three countries project phase 2 included carrying out 2-week-long 

assessment visits. Based on these visits, reports were elaborated on the situation of torture and illtreatment. 

In Paraguay and Moldova the project implementation was successfully started, including the 

conclusion of cooperation agreements with local civil society representatives/organisations, which 

support the ongoing project implementation in the country. Due to a lack of cooperation from the 

Georgian authorities, the project implementation in Georgia had to be terminated. 

Following the assessment visits, multi-stakeholder conferences were organised in Paraguay and 

Moldova to present and discuss the findings of the assessment reports and develop recommendations 

and future activities together with relevant stakeholders in thematic working groups. Based on the 

outcome of the conference, country specific workplans were elaborated jointly with the local partners 

(“focal points”) for each of the two project countries and two thematic workshops and expert seminars 

implemented in the course of 2011: In Paraguay, the team implemented an expert seminar on the 

Paraguayan National Preventive Mechanism and a round-table on strengthening legal aid in Paraguay. 

The team maintains the website www.atlas-of-torture.org monitoring the situation of torture worldwide. 

The website provides profiles for all States in the world with a regularly updated selection of the 

relevant official documents, NGO reports and jurisprudence related to the situation of torture and illtreatment. 

Furthermore it provides weekly updated news on the situation of torture in the world and 

substantive information on issues related to torture. 

→ www.atlas-of-torture.org 

Countries Paraguay, Georgia, Moldova 

Persons 

involved 

Contact 

persons 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

44 

Project leader Manfred Nowak 

Project coordinator Julia Kozma 

Project experts Moritz Birk 

Tiphanie Crittin 

Johanna Lober 

Roland Schmidt (until June) 

Manfred Nowak, Julia Kozma, team@atlas-of-torture.org 



October 2010 to October 2013 

Funded by European Commission (EIDHR) 

Partner 

organisation 

Research Platform “Human 

Rights in the European 

Context”, University of Vienna

The Awareness Raising and Training Measures for the Istanbul Protocol in Europe Project 

Summary 

The UN Istanbul Protocol of 2004 contains standards and procedures on how to recognize and 

document symptoms of torture and similar forms of violence so the documentation may serve as valid 

evidence in court. Unfortunately, the awareness of the existence of the Istanbul Protocol is still 

relatively limited, even among professionals. 

The Awareness Raising and Training Measures for the Istanbul Protocol in Europe Project (ART-IP 

project) therefor focuses on the elaboration of training and teaching materials, especially e-learning, 

based on the Istanbul Protocol, regarding the documentation and the detection of physical and 

psychological evidence of torture. The training material consists of a set of audio-visual and textual 

materials explaining the medical, psychological and legal components of the Istanbul Protocol. For the 

countries of the partnership, the project will produce country specific modules addressing domestic 

issues. The e-learning tools are displayed on the project’s website: www.istanbulprotocol.info. The 

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute is creating the legal content of the modules together with the University of 

Leuven. 

The target groups are professionals who are confronted with persons who have been subjected to 

torture or other forms of violence: doctors, psychologists, psychotherapists, legal professionals, and 

social workers. 

The overall objective of the ART-IP project is to enable medical, legal and social professionals to 

address one of the most fundamental concerns in protecting individuals from torture: effective 

documentation, that brings evidence of torture and ill-treatment to light so that perpetrators may be 

held accountable for their actions. 

→ www.istanbulprotocol.info 

Countries Austria and partner countries of the European Union 

Persons 

involved 

Project lead Tiphanie Crittin 

Researchers BIM Human Dignity team 

Contact Tiphanie Crittin, tiphanie.crittin@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Start/ 

ending date 

� Medical University of 

Vienna (project 

promoter) 

� Science Initiative Lower 

Austria (project 

management) 

January 2011 to December 2013 

Partner 

organisations 

� Boltzmann Institute for 

Human Rights, Austria 

� University of Athens 

University of Leuven, 

Belgium 

� University of Erlangen- 

Nürnberg, Germany 

� Justice Heals, Germany 

� KTP Association for 

Qualification at the Labour 

Market, Czech Republic 

� INTEGRA, Human 

Resources Developing 

Institute, Slovenia 

Publication Project results will be published on the website www.istanbulprotocol.info 

Funded by EU Leonardo Grant Scheme 

45

Assistance to the Human Rights Advisory Board and its 

Visiting Commissions at the Austrian Ministry of the Interior 

Summary 

The Human Rights Advisory Board (HRAB) is mandated to advise the Federal Minister of the Interior in 

questions of the protection of human rights and to promote the consequent and systematic alignment 

of law enforcement authorities with human rights standards. 

The regular and systematic monitoring of the detention of individuals in the premises of law 

enforcement authorities is carried out by six regional commissions covering the entire territory of 

Austria. The office of the regional commissions 2 and 3 (covering parts of Vienna, Lower Austria and 

Burgenland) is located at the BIM. 

The BIM also seconds two legal researchers to the Secretariat of the HRAB, who assist in the 

preparation of thematic studies and support the working groups of the HRAB. 

→ www.menschenrechtsbeirat.at 


Persons 

involved 

Contact 

persons 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

46 

Legal researchers HRAB Caroline Paar, Dominik Hofmann 

Coordination, 

Commissions Vienna 2 and 3 

Director, 

Commission Vienna 2 

Director, 


Members, 


Members, 


Stephanie Krisper 

Barbara Kurz 

Manfred Nowak 

Peter Reinberg 

Susan Al-Jawahiri, Lisa Alluri, Sandra Gerö, 

Marijana Grandits, Walter Suntinger, Gregor 

Wollenek 

Karin Busch-Frankl, Helfried Haas, Anton Landsiedl, 

Bernhard Painz, Elisabeth Reichel, Edith Vasilyev 

Commissions Vienna 2 and 3: 

Stephanie Krisper, Barbara Kurz, mrk2-3.bim@univie.ac.at 

Human Rights Advisory Board: 

Caroline Paar, Dominik Hofmann, office@menschenrechtsbeirat.at 




Ongoing since July 2000 

Partner 

organisation 

Funded by Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior 

Human Rights Advisory Board 

(HRAB)

Training in torture prevention for human rights defenders in Azerbaijan 

Summary 

At the invitation by the NGO Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Social Union (DIHRSU), two 

BIM experts carried out a training for human rights defenders in Azerbaijan on the prohibition and 

prevention of torture under international law. On the first day of the training, by means of presentations, 

working groups and case studies, the participants were familiarised with the legal concept of torture 

and the principal safeguards against torture as prescribed by international law. On the second day, the 

trainers presented and discussed different ways of lobbying and advocacy, lodging individual 

complaints and supporting monitoring by international and regional human rights mechanisms. As an 

outcome, the participants strengthened their knowledge on how to substantially and procedurally avail 

themselves of the support and advice of international human rights mechanisms such as the UN 

Committee against Torture, the UN Human Rights Committee, Special Procedures of the Human 

Rights Council such as the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the European Court of Human Rights, 

and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). The trainers identified problems and 

proposed practical solutions to strengthen the capacity of the participants. 

Country Azerbaijan 

Persons 

involved 

Trainers Julia Kozma 

Moritz Birk 

Contact person Moritz Birk, moritz.birk@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 



6-7 December 2011 

Partner 

organisation 

Democratic Institutions and 

Human Rights Social Union 

(DIHRSU) 

Funded by Stiftung Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, UP Microloans (www.up-micro-loans.de) 

47

Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia 

Summary 

The project “Social Inclusion and Human Rights in Macedonia” aims at supporting the inclusion of the 

Human Rights-based Approach (HRBA) into the planning processes of the national and local 

authorities dealing with the issues of social inclusion, social protection and poverty reduction. The 

project is a follow-up to the pilot project “Human Rights and Poverty Reduction in Macedonia” (2006 – 

2008) and builds on its results and on the recommendations of its external evaluation. The continuing 

support for the HRBA in Macedonia’s EU accession process shall produce socially inclusive policies as 

well as monitoring of social policy on the part of the civil society. 

On the national level, the project aim is to strengthen the accountability of the government with regard 

to human rights and social inclusion in policy making and monitoring. In 2011 the project further 

supported the Macedonian Anti-Poverty Platform (MAPP), which had been founded the year before. 

Core activities were the platform’s first report on poverty, as well as the first conference of persons 

experiencing poverty, the subsequent march against poverty and the handing over of the conference 

declaration to the minister of Labour and Social Policy. 

On local level the project strengthens the capacities of the duty-bearers – specifically municipalities 

and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy’s (MLSP) decentralised Social Work Centres. In 2011 the 

partner municipalities’ strategies and action plans on social inclusion were developed and published. In 

order to initiate the implementation of the priorities defined in the strategies, every municipality receives 

funding for a micro project, which has been selected through a call for proposals. 

Countries Macedonia 

Persons 

involved 

48 

Coordination Christine Sommer 

Project management Petranka Delova Miladinova 

Local human rights experts Stojan Mishev 

Ninoslav Mladenovic 

Administration Jagoda Iljov 

Contact person Christine Sommer, christine.sommer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 




November 2009 to November 2012 

Partner 

organisations 

� Association for 

Democratic Initiatives 

(ADI) 

� Association of the Units of 

Local Self Government 

(ZELS) 

� Macedonian Helsinki 

Committee for Human 

Rights 

� Ministry of Labor and 

Social Policy (MLSP) 

Publication MAPP: Report on Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Macedonia 2010. 

Skopje, 2011 

Funded by Austrian Development Agency

Inclusive Tanzania – inclusive education and political participation of persons with 

disabilities through empowerment and capacity building 

Summary 

The collection and documentation of “Lessons Learnt and Good Practice Examples” is an integral part 

of the project “Inclusive Tanzania – Inclusive Education and Political Participation of People with 

Disabilities through Empowerment and Capacity-Building”. The project is carried out by Light for the 

world – Christoffel Development Cooperation, Austria, in cooperation with the Information Centre on 

Disability (ICD), Tanzania, and has a four year time frame with a prolongation till May 2011. 

BIM accompanies the implementation process for the purpose of the collection of good practice 

examples within this project to document and analyse the experiences of this pilot project in order to 

share them with other stakeholders in international development. 

After a field trip to the project area Dar Es Salaam/Tanzania in February 2011 Claudia Sprenger 

delivered the “Guidance Document – Good Practice Examples, Lessons Learnt, Recommendations”, 

which completed the project and cooperation between Light for the World and BIM. 

Countries Austria, Tanzania 

Persons 

involved 

Project coordinator Magdalena Kern (Light for the World) 

Researcher Claudia Sprenger (BIM) 

Contact person Claudia Sprenger, claudia.sprenger@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Light for the World Partner 

organisations 

November 2006 to June 2010 with prolongation till May 2011 



� Information Centre on 

Disability (ICD), Tanzania 

Publication Sprenger, Claudia: Guidance Document – Good Practice Examples, Lessons 

Learnt, Recommendations, 2011 

Funded by Light for the World 

49

Extrajudicial Complaint Mechanisms – Resolving Conflicts of Interests between Business 

and Human Rights 

Summary 

In recent years companies have faced ever-growing scrutiny of their human rights conduct. Some of 

them have been confronted with grave human rights allegations that led to years of litigation and public 

campaigns. Remedies for instances of corporate human rights violations, however, have remained 

Insufficient. International human rights law provides for complicated, cost- and time-consuming judicial 

ways of conflict resolution only. In practice this leads to a governance gap, the consequence being that 

many corporate human rights violations still go without adequate redress or remedy. The aim of the 

proposed research is therefore to address this gap and, by exploring the potential role of existing 

extrajudicial complaint mechanisms, to identify the crucial criteria for best possible human rights 

protection in the business context. 

The first step was to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of international complaint mechanisms, 

namely the National Contact Points of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the 

World Bank Inspection Panel. A detailed evaluation of cases on human rights issues that were brought 

before these institutions has been conducted. It revealed the pros and cons these procedures entail for 

both the victims of human rights violations and the companies concerned. At the same time research 

on corporate complaint mechanisms has been started in order to figure out examples of good practice 

for resolving business and human rights disputes on the company level. These will feed in the findings 

on international mechanisms at hand. 

The next step will consist in empirical research, complementing the desk research that has been 

carried out so far. For this purpose we will conduct interviews with respective experts on mediation and 

alternative dispute resolution as well as with practitioners having worked with the selected complaint 

mechanisms. The aim is to make out best practices which allow for the elaboration of so called “criteria 

of excellence” in terms of extrajudicial complaint mechanisms. 


Persons 

involved 

50 

Project implementation 

Barbara Linder 

Karin Lukas 

Astrid Steinkellner 


Contact person Astrid Steinkellner, astrid.steinkellner@univie..ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 



February 2011 to July 2012 

Partner 

organisation 

Funded by Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) 

-

Consultancy of the Austrian Export Credit Agency (OeKB) on a Human Rights Based 

Approach in Export Services 

Summary 

The Austrian Export Credit Agency (OeKB) asked BIM for support in the elaboration and 

implementation of a human rights based approach in its export service. This process has been 

continued in close cooperation with the OeKB internal departments that are involved in the export 

service process. 

Based on an analysis of the already existing processes and practical procedures within the framework 

of the environmental assessment procedures, BIM elaborated a proposal for a human rights due 

diligence procedure. Over the last year, this has been road-tested and further developed. The overall 

aim of the consultancy is to implement a human rights due diligence process in the Austrian export 

service. 

Due to confidentiality agreements with the project partner, results will only be published with the 

consent of OeKB. 


Persons 

involved 

Project implementation 

Manfred Nowak 

Karin Lukas 

Barbara Linder 

Astrid Steinkellner 

Project management Karin Lukas 

Contact person Karin Lukas, karin.lukas@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 




September 2010 to December 2011 

Funded by Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG 

Partner 

organisation 

- 

51

OMV Gap Analysis. Advice to OMV in the area of human rights 

Summary 

This project supports the Austrian corporation OMV in the implementation of its human rights strategy 

in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. In the follow-up phase of this project on the 

implementation of relevant human rights standards in OMV regions of operation, a second on-site visit 

was conducted in Tunisia. The visit focused on the impact of the recent democratization movement on 

OMV operations and on the activities of companies where OMV holds a substantive share, as well as 

the working conditions of relevant local contractors. 


Persons 

involved 

52 


Researcher Karin Lukas 

Contact person Karin Lukas, karin.lukas@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Funded by OMV 

Human Rights Consulting 

Vienna 

April 2006 to December 2012 

Partner 

organisation 

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of 

Human Rights – Research 

Association

EU-Twinning – Implementation Capacity of Turkish Police to Prevent Disproportionate 

Use of Force 

Summary 

The overall objective of this Twinning project is to develop and implement use of force practices for 

Turkish National Police (TNP) in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights. Joint 

actions, such as comparative analysis and trainings will be conducted to reach this goal. 

The project is expected to produce the following results: 

� Factors causing disproportionate use of force should be determined and guiding procedures on 

implementation should be established. 

� The efficiency of the practices in compliance with EU best practices in training should be improved. 

BIM is leading institution together with the Austrian Security Academy (SIAK) and the German 

Foundation for International Legal Cooperation is junior partner together with the Federal Criminal 

Police Office Germany. The implementation of the project started in August 2011. 

Country Turkey 

Persons 

involved 

Project leader (SIAK) Karl-Heinz Grundböck 

Resident Twinning Adviser 

(BIM) 

Markus Brentschun-Kosielski 

BIM key experts Moritz Birk 

Dominik Hofmann 

Johanna Lober 

Stephanie Krisper 


Katrin Wladasch 

Project management (BIM) Heidrun Aigner 

Contact person Heidrun Aigner, heidrun.aigner@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

� Austrian Security 

Academy (SIAK) 



August 2011 to July 2013 

Partner 

organisations 

Funded by European Commission, Directorate-General for Enlargement 

� German Foundation for 

International Legal 

Cooperation (IRZ) together 

with Federal Criminal 

Police Office Germany 

Beneficiary Institution (TR): 

� Turkish National Police 

53

EU-Twinning – Support to the enhancement of the capacity of the Ombudsman 

administration 

Summary 

The overall objective of this Twinning light project was to contribute to the strengthening of the capacity 

of institutions responsible for promoting and protecting human rights in Azerbaijan, in particular the 

Office of the Ombudsman, and approximation of the respective legislation to EU standards. Inter alia, 

the project aimed at assisting the Ombudsman’s staff in drafting legal amendments with regard to the 

institution’s function as National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for preventing torture and other cruel, 

inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in all places of detention. Further components of the 

project dealt with training of experts of the Ombudsman’s Office, university and high school students 

on promoting and protecting human rights of vulnerable groups. 

The BIM contributed to the project by providing extensive short term expertise on the establishment of 

NPMs, combating torture and the protection of human rights of persons in detention. Based on 

consultations with the Ombudsman’s staff, but also with Azeri NGOs active in the field of torture 

prevention, the BIM experts elaborated draft rules of procedure for the NPM. In their recommendations 

they particularly emphasised the inclusion of civil society representatives into the NPM. In addition, the 

BIM experts observed monitoring visits carried out by the Ombudsman’s staff to places of detention 

and provided training on general principles of preventive visits to places of detention. 

Country Azerbaijan 

Persons 

involved 

54 

BIM key experts Moritz Birk 

Tiphanie Crittin 

Julia Kozma 

Johanna Lober 

Contact person Julia Kozma, julia.kozma@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

German Institute for Human 

Rights 

February to July 2011 

Funded by European Commission, EuropeAid 

Partner 

organisations 

� German Agency for 

International Cooperation, 

� German Federal Foreign 

Office 

� Ludwig Boltzmann Institute 

of Human Rights (Short 

term experts) 

Beneficiary institution (AZ): 

� Ombudsman of the 

Republic of Azerbaijan

EU-Twinning – Promoting Gender Equality in Working Life 

Summary 

The overall objective of this Twinning project is to ensure gender equality in working life based on a 

legal framework that provides for equal treatment of women and men. The project purpose is to align 

Turkish legislation with the EU gender equality acquis, to improve the capacity of institutions responsible 

for the implementation of the acquis and raise awareness of a broader public. 

Under the first component experts analysed Turkish legal texts in comparison to the EU gender 

equality acquis (Directives) and relevant case-law of the European Court of Justice. On the basis of the 

gap analysis a report has been elaborated in 2011 providing recommendations on how to close the 

identified gaps. This report, covering the areas labour law, social security law, trade union law and civil 

servants law, will be published in 2012. 

The focus of the second component lies on strengthening human resources capacity. The national 

administration, judges and social partners need to be made familiar with the EU acquis in order to 

guarantee proper enforcement of national legislation. A training plan has been elaborated at the 

beginning of 2011 and numerous trainings have been held as well as training materials provided during 

the year. Some more trainings, e.g. for staff of the Turkish State Personnel Presidency, are scheduled 

for 2012. 

The third component deals with awareness raising on gender equality through the development of 

appropriate materials (brochure, booklets etc.) and public presentations and discussion of project 

results. One major activity in this component was the organisation of a University Conference on 18 

October 2011, bringing together experts from academia and state administration to exchange on how 

to promote gender equality in working life. 

BIM participates as junior partner to the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) 

and mainly contributes to the alignment of Turkish legislation with the provision of a gap analysis and 

recommendations as well as training expertise on several fields of gender equality and the organisation 

of a study visit to Austria on gender equality legislation and its implementation. 


Persons 

involved 

Project leader (BIM) Karin Lukas 

BIM key expert Julia Planitzer 

Project management (BIM) Marion Kirsch 

Susanne Fraczek 

Contact person Susanne Fraczek, susanne.fraczek@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

German Federal Ministry of 

Labour and Social Affairs 

(Implementing Institution: 

German Association for 

Social Security Policy and 

Research – GVG) 

September 2010 to March 2012 

Partner 

organisations 

Funded by European Commission, Directorate General for Enlargement 


of Human Rights, AT 

Beneficiary institution (TR): 

� Ministry for Labour and 

Social Security 

55

EU-Twinning – Implementation of Personal Data Protection Strategy 

Summary 

The project aims at strengthening the capacity of Montenegro for protection of personal data and 

implementation of the data protection legislation. 

One component of the project deals with the harmonization of the legislation with the EU acquis. 

Another component aims to support the recently established independent Data Protection Supervisory 

Authority with specific training for the set-up of the authority. Training sessions for persons responsible 

for data protection in the ministries, other relevant institutions and in the private sector are also part of 

the project. 

In 2011 Study Visits to the Data Protection Authorities in Vienna, Ljubljana, Berlin, Dresden and Kiel 

were performed. 

BIM implements this project as leading institution together with the Montenegrin partners in 

cooperation with the Austrian Data Protection Commission (DSK) and in a consortium with the 

Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia. 

Country Montenegro 

Persons 

involved 

56 

Project leader Waltraut Kotschy 

RTA Lukas Gundermann 

BIM key experts Hannes Tretter 

Christoph Tschohl 

Christian Schmaus 

Project management Claudia Hüttner 

Contact person Claudia Hüttner, claudia.huettner@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 


of Human Rights in 

cooperation with the 

Austrian Data Protection 

Commission 

November 2010 to June 2012 

Partner 

organisations 


� Information Commissioner 

of the Republic of Slovenia 

Beneficiary institution (MN): 

� Ministry of Interior and 

Public Administration, Data 

Protection Supervisory 

Authority

EU-Twinning – Establishing a comprehensive system for anti-discrimination protection 

Summary 

The overall objective of this Twinning project is to establish an efficient and effective system for 

combating discrimination, thus raising the level of protection against discrimination in the Republic of 

Croatia. The project shall strengthen the capacity of the beneficiary institutions – the Office of the 

Ombudsman as the central body responsible for combating discrimination and the Office for Human 

Rights as the state body most directly involved in combating discrimination. An efficient system for 

monitoring reported and prosecuted cases of discrimination and for collecting and monitoring equality 

data will be developed. Finally, a comprehensive system for supporting victims of discrimination in 

gaining access to justice will be elaborated. 

The Twinning project consists of three components: 

� Within the first component experts will prepare and conduct trainings tailored to the needs of 

different key actors in the institutional set up responsible for the implementation of antidiscrimination 

legislation. The trainings targeting judges, state attorneys and other relevant 

stakeholders in the field of anti-discrimination will focus on Croatian anti-discrimination 

legislation in force and the EU legal framework for protection against discrimination. The staff 

of the Office of the Ombudsman and the specialized ombuds responsible for gender equality, 

children’s rights and persons with disabilities will further develop their mediation and 

discrimination complaints handling skills. Furthermore, NGOs and social partner organizations 

will together with the Office of the Ombudsman and the specialized ombuds improve their 

capacities as regards their roles as interveners and potential joint legal action. 

� In the frame of the second component EU Member State experts together with employees of 

the Office of the Ombudsman and the Office for Human Rights will draft recommendations for 

the development of software/databases for collecting data and monitoring complaints on 

discrimination, court cases on discrimination and equality data. The experts will prepare 

guidelines and conduct trainings on the usage of the software/databases. Furthermore, the 

institutional capacity of the Office of the Ombudsman and the specialized ombuds related to 

reporting and collecting data for statistical monitoring of discrimination will be enhanced. 

� Finally, the third component aims to establish a telephone assistance service within the Office 

of the Ombudsman providing potential victims of discrimination with initial information and 

support, improve the system for handling individual discrimination complaints and enhance the 

cooperation between the Office of the Ombudsman and NGOs. This outreach work targeting 

NGOs strengthens the resources of the Office of the Ombudsman and heightens its visibility 

also at the regional level. 

The BIM as leading Member State partner will be supported by the Austrian Ombud for Equal 

Treatment, the Austrian Ombudsman Board, Labour and Social Court – Federal Ministry of Justice, 

Federal Social Welfare Office, City of Vienna – Department for Integration and Diversity, Federal 

Province of Salzburg – Department for Women and Equal Treatment. 

Country Croatia 

Persons 

involved 

Contact 

person 


Resident Twinning Adviser 

(RTA) 

Barbara Liegl 

BIM key experts Katrin Wladasch 

Monika Mayrhofer 


Project management Marion Kirsch 

Barbara Liegl, barbara.liegl@ombudsman.hr 

57

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

58 



November 2011 to May 2013 

Partner 

organisations 


Cooperation partners (AT): 

� Austrian Ombud for Equal 

Treatment 

� Austrian Ombudsman 

Board 

� Beneficiary institutions 

(HR): 

� Office of the Ombudsman 

� Office for Human Rights of 

the Government of the 

Republic of Croatia

DANIDA – Turkey Political Criteria Programme (TPCP II) 

Summary 

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affair’s European Neighbourhood programme has financed the TPCP 

since 2006. In the context of Turkey’s EU Accession, the programme aims at strengthening respect for 

human rights (HR) in Turkey through enhancing cooperation between government, legislature and civil 

society. Accordingly, the first phase of TPCP commenced in 2006 and came to an end in May 2009. 

Since the Turkish institutions and organisations relevant to promoting and upholding the HR reform 

agenda are still in the process of development, the second phase of the programme (TPCP II) has 

been initiated. 

Hence, the overall objective of TPCP II is to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of the Interior’s 

Inspections Board as well as to promote human rights awareness through the IHOP platform and to 

further human rights dialogue and advocacy within the Turkish civil society and with government and 

legislature. 

The implementation of this project is based upon two components: component 1 includes the support 

to the Ministry of the Interior, while component 2 is predicated on the support to the IHOP Network. 

In Component 1 comprehensive training materials, covering Good Governance, Gender and Inspecting 

LEAs were approved by the programme implementation team. More than 150 Inspectors were trained 

in a series of events in Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul. Activities connected with CMS and database have 

started as well as the second edition of the human rights handbook. Two studies are currently carried 

out on the rights of marginalised groups and on the implementation of ECtHR decisions against 

Turkey. 

In Component 2 the IHOP board worked on their coherent overall strategy and on a Performance 

Management Plan. The development of a Fundraising Strategy showed considerable progress and the 

Strategy was adopted by the board. The IHOP Manager was supported in defining internal procedures 

and in implementing a grant monitoring. 

BIM expert Barbara Liegl conducted expert’s interviews and focus group discussions during the first of 

three planned audits within the framework of Component 1. 


Persons 

involved 

Key expert Barbara Liegl 

Project management (BIM) Heidrun Aigner 

Contact person Heidrun Aigner, heidrun.aigner@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

PKF (UK) LLP Partner 

organisations 

July 2009 to May 2012 

Funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, DANIDA 

� ICON-INSTITUT Public 

Sector GmbH (Germany) 

� Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of 

Human Rights (Austria) 

Beneficiary Institutions: 

� Turkish Ministry of the Interior 

� IHOP-Network 

59

Access to Justice in Discrimination Cases 

Summary 

On behalf of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of 

Human Rights in cooperation with Human European Consultancy conducted a research on the issue of 

“Access to Justice in Discrimination Cases”. 

Aim of the research was to find out, how awareness about discrimination as well as for possibilities to 

combat discrimination can be raised. This awareness necessarily includes knowledge about the legal 

framework on the one and about institutions competent for assisting people affected by discrimination 

on the other hand. Main element of the study therefore was an assessment of the role of equality 

bodies and civil society organisations in assisting people concerned by discrimination. 

In the framework of this research reports about the situation in selected countries (Austria, Belgium, 

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy and the United Kingdom) were drafted, which then 

fed into a comparative study. 

The BIM was responsible for drafting the final comparative report and for writing the report on Austria. 

Therefore a comprehensive literature review was accompanied by 46 interviews with representatives of 

equality bodies and of NGOs, solicitors and complainants in discrimination cases. 

The following issues were at the focus of research: 

� Barriers in access to justice in discrimination cases 

� Needs of potential complainants in discrimination cases 

� Different qualities of different procedures 

� Effectiveness and efficiency of different procedures 

� Instruments that would enhance access to justice for potential complainants (like 

communication strategies, legal advice or strategies aiming at strengthening a culture of rights 

for discrimination cases) 

Countries Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy and the 

United Kingdom 

Persons 

involved 

60 

Project leaders Marcel Zwamborn (HEC) 

Barbara Liegl, Katrin Wladasch (BIM) 

Researchers Barbara Liegl 



Contact person Katrin Wladasch, katrin.wladasch@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 

� Human European 

Consultancy 



December 2010 to November 2011 

Partner 

organisation 

Funded by European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights 

-

RED-Network – Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance 

Summary 

The RED (Rights Equality and Diversity) Network aims at combating racism, xenophobia and 

intolerance by creating an early-warning system on racism and discrimination in the EU member 

states, as well as on law and policies against discrimination, racist violence, hate speech and 

stereotypes. The RED Network is an independent research network composed of 18 research and civil 

society organisations in 17 member states. Its objective is to critically record and fight stereotypes, 

which are the causes of racist and discriminatory attitudes, actions and violent incidents. 

The key steps in order to achieve these aims are to collect information and data on phenomena like 

racism, anti-semitism, islamophobia and related intolerance in a reliable timely, dynamic and 

comparative way and to provide fast, real-time, straight-forward information on the situation and 

developments regarding discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic origin and religion as well as 

multiple discrimination and on related policies and legislation in EU Member States through an earlywarning 

system, built as an online EU comparative tool accessible to both experts and the general 

public. 

In 2011, after a kick off event in Brussels the elaboration of a RED early-warning system design and 

guidelines regarding data collection was tackled. At the same time the RED early warning system web 

portal was designed and developed and subsequently the RED system input of data by the RED 

Network partners was started. The partners uploaded data on racist and xenophobe incidents, 

discriminatory assaults and policy responses concerning anti-racist strategies and developments. A 

further key area of activity was the launching of the RED Atlas and RED Library. The RED Atlas 

contains information on anti-discrimination legislation and implementation, anti-racist crime legislation 

and implementation, political parties, organisations and their role concerning racist and xenophobic 

discourse, anti-racist policies and organisations and (anti-)racism in the area of policing, law 

enforcement and justice. Furthermore the Atlas provides data on employment, housing, education, 

health and social protection, political participation and public life, culture, sport and media in reference 

to migrants and minorities. The RED Library makes available important documents for racism, 

discrimination and equality in the member states. 

→ http://www.red-network.eu/ 

Countries Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, 

Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Sweden, Slowenia, Spain, Hungary, Cyprus 

Persons 

involved 

Coordination Monika Mayrhofer 

Researcher Margit Ammer 

Barbara Liegl 


Contact person Monika Mayrhofer, monika.mayrhofer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 

i-RED, Institute for Rights 

Equality & Diversity 

(Greece) 

February 2011 to January 2013 


� City of Vienna (MA 17) 

Partner 

organisations 

18 scientific and civil society 

organisations in 17 EU 

countries 

61

Analysis of the Ombudsman Offices of the APOR region of the I.O.I. 

Summary 

On behalf of the Austrian Ombudsman Board, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights is 

conducting a comparative analytical study on Ombudsman institutions in the Australasia and Pacific 

region. 

The primary aim of the study is to analyse the legal basis, the legal status as well as the position of 

(public sector) Ombudsman institutions in the APO-region within the political systems of the respective 

countries. A comparison of the institutions and an investigation of their compliance with international 

human rights standards and the concept of good governance are being conducted. 

The study comprises 16 selected offices in nine countries (Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cook 

Islands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu). It is based on literature review, 

legal research and a comprehensive questionnaire answered by the offices in question. 

The study focuses on the following areas: 

� mandate, powers and functions; legal guarantees of independence and pluralism 

� the question whether an ombudsman has been commissioned with the function of a “National 

Preventive Mechanism” according to OPCAT 

� accessibility for individuals and different, in particular vulnerable and disadvantaged societal 

groups 

� monitoring and data collection mechanisms 

� the legal quality and impact of the outcomes of investigation proceedings 

� international standards for Ombudsman institutions and National Human Rights Institutions 

� comparison of the institutions’ constitutional anchorage and good governance principles 

Countries Australia, China/Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Papua New 

Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu 

Persons 

involved 

62 

Project leader Michael Frahm (BIM) 

Researchers Barbara Liegl 

Margit Ammer 


Konrad Lachmayer (University of Vienna) 

Contact person Michael Frahm, michael.frahm@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Publication - 



December 2010 to April 2012 

Funded by Austrian Ombudsman Board 

Partner 

organisation 

-

Elective Course of Lectures on “Protection against Discrimination” 

Summary 

Following an initiative of the Chamber of Labour and in cooperation with the Ombud for Equal 

Treatment and the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna, the BIM experts designed a concept for an 

elective course of lectures on “Protection against Discrimination”. The elective course was offered at 

the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna in the years 2009 to 2011. The aim of the course is to 

provide students with comprehensive knowledge of anti-discrimination and equal treatment legislation. 

Furthermore, the course should enable graduates to work with the current anti-discrimination 

legislation in their future jobs and to take part in debates on the further development of antidiscrimination 

policy. 

The course encompassed a series of different lectures/seminars. One of the first lectures elaborated 

on questions concerning equality, equal treatment and non-discrimination from the point of view of the 

international and European human rights system. Other lectures dealt with relevant EU law and the 

legal situation in Austria. Practical relevance of the course was guaranteed through the involvement of 

practitioners and experts as well as through the implementation of sensitivity exercises and a moot 

court. 

A new edition of the elective course is currently developed in cooperation with the Chamber of Labour 

and the Institute for Labour and Social Affairs of the University of Vienna. 


Persons 

involved 

Project leaders Martina Chlestil and Bianca Schrittwieser (Chamber 

of Labour, Vienna) 

Hannes Tretter (BIM) 

Researchers Marta Hodasz 

Barbara Liegl 


Contact person Katrin Wladasch, katrin.wladasch@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 

� Chamber of Labour 

Vienna 



May 2007 to June 2011 

Funded by � Chamber of Labour 

� University of Vienna 

Partner 

organisation 

University of Vienna, Law 

Faculty 

63

Analysis of the Judicial Protection in the Austrian Asylum Proceedings 

Summary 

Aim of the project is to analyse the judicial review system in the Austrian asylum procedure: Both 

functioning as well as jurisprudence of the Asylum Court and the Constitutional Court are to be 

assessed as to their conformity with fundamental and human rights standards. More than three years 

after entry into force of amendments relating to the legal protection of asylum seekers it is to be 

examined whether the improvements or fears held out in prospect occurred in practice. 

The project results (and possible recommendations based thereon) should contribute to the quality 

assurance in the procedures of the Asylum Court and the Constitutional Court. Thereby the situation of 

asylum seekers in Austria is to be enhanced. 

The eight months project is divided into three phases: 

� Identification of issues subsequently to be examined in more depth, through interviews with 

different stakeholders active in the field of asylum and through legal analysis of Constitutional 

Court rulings which quashed Asylum Court decisions. 

� Detailed analysis of the Asylum Court’s work (e.g. decisions on whether or not to conduct oral 

hearings; handling of oral hearings; approach vis-à-vis asylum-seekers and their 

representatives, duration of procedures, etc.) and of the jurisprudence of the Asylum Court and 

the Constitutional Court (against international standards). 

� Interviews with the Presidents of the two Courts or their representatives and, if possible, with 

various staff members (both judges and legal support staff) in order to find out the self-image 

of the Asylum Court and the Constitutional Court as well as to allow them to react on findings 

made in interviews with other stakeholders. 


Persons 

involved 

64 

Project lead Margit Ammer 

Researchers Michael Frahm 

Andrea Sölkner 

Contact Margit Ammer, margit.ammer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 



October 2011 to May 2012 

Partner 

organisation 

Publication Publication of results together with UNHCR 

Funded by UNHCR 

-

The Protection of Survivors of Torture Seeking Asylum in Austria 

Summary 

Together with Hemayat – an NGO providing interpreter-mediated psychotherapy, psychological 

consultations and medical support for survivors of war and torture in Austria – the Ludwig Boltzmann 

Institute of Human Rights is implementing an interdisciplinary research project that aims at analysing 

the protection of torture survivors applying for asylum in Austria. In the course of this project 15 cases 

will be presented and analysed relating to psychological and health care as well as the legal level. The 

results shall be used to identify possibilities for improvement in the treatment of torture survivors in 

Austria. 

This project constitutes an innovation, as lawyers and psychotherapists/psychologists bring together 

their data and methodologies in order to arrive at a new perspective and analysis of empirical and 

theoretical material. This interdisciplinary approach allows for an illustration of how torture survivors 

experience the application of Austrian asylum laws and which effects the asylum procedures can have 

on the concerned individuals. 


Persons 

involved 

Project lead Margit Ammer 

Researchers Barbara Kurz 

Contact person Margit Ammer, margit.ammer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 



� Hemayat – 

Betreuungszentrum für 

Folter- und 

Kriegsüberlebende 

March 2011 to December 2012 

Partner 

organisation 

Publication Project results will be published in a book 

Funded by � Austrian Zukunftsfonds 

� MA 7 Wien 

- 

65

ClimMig: Climate-induced migration and displacement and the need for new legal, policy 

and institutional frameworks 

Summary 

While climate-related migration/displacement has for a long time been regarded solely as the result of 

“failed adaptation” (i.e. mostly forced migration), it is increasingly recognised that migration can also 

form part of an adaptation strategy. However, with regard to both aspects (i.e. migration to survive and 

migration for adaptation), existing international legal, normative and institutional frameworks are not 

deemed to be adequate (no adequate protection for persons forced to leave their homes and no offer 

of adequate frameworks necessary to make migration work as an adaptation strategy). 

Relating to both aspects, ClimMig seeks to identify current gaps in international legal, normative and 

institutional frameworks, to give an overview of current implementation at Austrian/EU level and 

establish recommendations addressed in particular to Austrian (and also EU) policy makers as how to 

overcome legal, normative and institutional gaps. In order to make the implications of the lack of 

adequate frameworks for climate-induced migration visible, a maximum of five case studies will be 

conducted. 


Persons 

involved 

66 

Project leader Margit Ammer 

Researchers Michael Frahm 


Barbara Liegl 


Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 



May 2011 to December 2012 

Partner 

organisation 

Institute for Sustainable 

Development and 

International Relations 

(IDDRI), Paris 

Publication Publication of project results (project website, book, article) at the end of the project 

Funded by Austrian Climate and Energy Fund

PluS – Plurilingual speakers in unilingual contexts. Migrants from African countries in 

Vienna: Language practices and institutional Communication 

Summary 

This transdisciplinary project through a cooperation of human rights research, applied linguistics, and 

African studies pursues the following objectives: 

� Raising awareness of authorities and courts for multilingualism, migration and the human 

rights of migrants and asylum seekers in proceedings before Austrian authorities 

� Analysis of Austrian legal norms, their interpretation and associated institutional structures 

of relevance for communication with authorities including courts regarding their conformity 

with human rights requirements. 

� Visualising both the importance of plurilingual repertoire for administrative or judicial 

procedures and associated language ideologies. 

� Forming networks among different stakeholders in order to improve communication 

conditions. 

� Investigation of the relevance of plurilingual repertoires for functional communication with 

migrants/asylum seekers from African countries of origin in proceedings before public 

administration and judiciary; investigation of interpretation of linguistic rights of migrants in 

the Austrian context and the basis for this interpretation. 


Persons 

involved 

Project leader Margit Ammer 

Researcher Katrin Wladasch 


Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 

� University of Vienna, 

Institute of Linguistics 

� University of Vienna, 

Institute of African 

Studies 

March 2011 to February 2013 

Partner 

organisations 



� treffpunkt sprachen – 

Center for Language, 

Plurilingualism and Subject 

Didactics (University of 

Graz) 

Publication Publications in peer-reviewed journals intended towards the end of the project 

Funded by Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF) 

67

Strengthening Women’s Capacities in peace building in the Region of South Caucasus 

Summary 

The overall objective of the project is the empowerment of women in conflict affected areas in the 

region of South Caucasus for engagement in peace processes. Due to the UN-Security Council 

Resolution 1325 and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 

(CEDAW) all member states are obliged to address adequately the needs and concerns of women 

before, during and after armed conflicts and to guarantee their meaningful participation in all decisionmaking 

positions on all levels within the society. 

The following measures are foreseen: 

� base-line study for an assessment of the situation and needs of women 

� comprehensive studies on the macro- and micro-level by participatory research in order to 

identify areas of concern and develop strategies for solutions as well as recommendations 

for regional, national and international policy-makers 

� trainings and workshops for partner organisations in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South- 

Ossetia, Abkhazia und Nagorno Karabakh in order to strengthen their capacities for the 

support of women in peace building activities 

� trainings for up to 100 women from conflict affected areas on the subjects of women’s 

rights, peace building, security, etc. in order to empower them to act as “women’s leaders” 

in their regions 

� networking – regional exchange of lessons learned 

� advocacy for the realization of the UN-Security Council Resolution 1325 and following 

resolutions 

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights carried out desk-research based on UN-Security 

Council Resolution 1325 and CEDAW about the role and situation of women, in Georgia, Armenia and 

Azerbaijan. BIM will be involved in the preparation of the conference presenting the final report in 2012. 

Countries Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South-Ossetia, Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh 

Person 

involved 

68 

Researcher Sabine Mandl 

Contact person Sabine Mandl, sabine.mandl@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

CARE Austria Partner 

organisations 


Publication Final report will be published in 2012 

Funded by European Commission (EIDHR), Austrian Development Agency 



� Helsinki Citizen’s 

Assembly Armenia 

� Association of Women of 

Abkhazia 

� Centre for Civilian 

Initiatives 

� IDP Women Association 

“Consent” 

� Women’s Problems 

Research Union 

� Association of Ossetian 

Women for Democracy 

and Human Rights

COMP.ACT – European Action for Compensation for Trafficked Persons 

Summary 

In order to improve compensation of trafficked persons a network called COMP.ACT EUROPE – 

European Action for Compensation for Trafficked Persons was established in 2009. 

COMP.ACT EUROPE is on the one hand a network and on the other hand a three year European wide 

project coordinated by La Strada International and Anti-Slavery International concerning compensation 

of trafficked persons. 

The network COMP.ACT EUROPE consists of 14 European countries. All countries established 

national working groups in order to implement specific measures. 

The activities of the network encompass: 

� design methodology for comparable research analysis 

� development of European guidance for professionals on seeking compensation for 

trafficked persons 

� meetings with decision makers on European level in order to increase the awareness of 

this topic 

� European wide campaign regarding the right to compensation 

� organisation of a conference on compensation 

The BIM is part of the Austrian working group. Within this working group the BIM was involved in 

elaborating a baseline study concerning compensation for trafficked persons in Austria, which was 

published in 2011. 

Countries Austria, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, 

Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Spain, Italy, Ukraine 

Person 

involved 

Researcher Julia Planitzer 

Contact Julia Planitzer, julia.planitzer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisations 

Starting/ 

end date 

� La Strada International 

� Anti-Slavery International 

November 2009 to October 2012 

Partner 

organisations 

In Austria: 



� LEFOE-IBF (Intervention 

centre for trafficked women 

in Austria) 

� Weißer Ring Austria 

Publication Planitzer, Julia/Probst, Evelyn/Steiner, Barbara/Unterlerchner, Barbara: 

Compensation for Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings in Austria [in German]. 

Vienna: OEGB Publishing House, 2011 


� Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice 

� Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs (funding through 

UNODC/UN.GIFT) 

� OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 

69

Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour Exploitation 

Summary 

Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) for labour exploitation has been criminalised in many countries, but 

its practice is still largely trivialised. States give their own interpretation of labour exploitation and case 

law differs considerably between States. The project assessed how legislation on THB for labour 

exploitation is applied by the law enforcement agencies and further stakeholders. Within the study, it 

was clarified which public institutions, law enforcement agencies and further stakeholders are involved 

in identification of trafficked persons and law enforcement. At the same time, the assistance to victims 

of trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation was analysed. 

The study in five countries gives an overview of the relevant stakeholders in actions against trafficking 

for the purpose of labour exploitation and shows “best practices” and challenges regarding an effective 

investigation and prosecution of THB for labour exploitation. Within the study interviews were 

conducted and legislation was analysed. Conclusions and recommendations stemming from the 

reports were discussed in an expert seminar in Vienna in February 2011, which was attended by 

external experts, such as members of the EU Group of Experts on trafficking in human beings. The 

project combines a criminal law and human rights based approach to THB, which is supported by the 

fact, that all project partners are research institutions. 

At the final stage of the project the study was published and subsequently presented in a final 

conference in April 2011. The country reports have been presented in workshops during the 

conference. 

Countries Austria, Netherlands, Spain, Romania, Serbia 

Persons 

involved 

70 

Researchers Julia Planitzer 

Helmut Sax 

Contact person Julia Planitzer, julia.planitzer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

University of Tilburg, NL Partner 

organisations 

April 2010 to April 2011 


of Human Rights, AT 

� University of Craiova, RO 

� Victimology Society of 

Serbia University Belgrade, 

SE 

� University Deusto, ES 

Publication Planitzer, Julia/Sax, Helmut: Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for Labour 

Exploitation in Austria, in Conny Rijken (ed.): Combating Trafficking in Human 

Beings for Labour Exploitation in the EU. Nijmegen: Wolf Legal Publishers, 2011. 

Funded by � European Commission, DG Justice 

� Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection

Trafficking in Human Beings as a form of Torture 

Summary 

The Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings of the OSCE, 

Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, intends to analyse the links between trafficking in human beings and 

torture. For this reason an analysis has been commissioned. The legal analysis of existing links 

between trafficking in human beings and torture was conducted by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of 

Human Rights, whereas the psychological analysis was elaborated by the Helen Bamber Foundation. 

Country - 

Persons 

involved 

Researchers (BIM) Manfred Nowak 

Julia Planitzer 

Contact person Julia Planitzer, julia.planitzer@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

OSCE Partner 

organisations 

October 2011 to December 2011 



� Helen Bamber 

Foundation, UK 

Publication The study will be published in spring 2012 in the “Occasional Papers”-series of the 

Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in 

Human Beings. 

Funded by OSCE – Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating 

Trafficking in Human Beings 

71

Assistance and reintegration of child victims of trafficking – ARECHIVIC 

Summary 

The project Assisting and reintegrating children victims of trafficking: promotion and evaluation of best 

practices in source and destination countries (ARECHIVIC) undertakes to promote the development of 

effective child trafficking responses in the EU based on good practices assessment of victim 

assistance and integration policies and programmes in source and destination countries. 

Its main activities include: 

� assess the policy, legal and institutional framework for assistance and reintegration in 

society of child victims of trafficking in source and destination countries, 

� establish a methodology and evaluate programmes for assistance and reintegration, 

� identify best practices for support and protection of children victims of trafficking in selected 

EU countries in line with the principles of fundamental children's rights and of promoting 

the best interests of the victims, and promote their replication in other EU countries, 

� develop an innovative web-based interactive tool assisting the stakeholders efforts for 

reintegration of children victims of trafficking; provide children victims of trafficking and their 

parents with information on relevant programmes; and establish a network of relevant 

public and private institutions. 

Countries Bulgaria, Slovakia, Italy, Sweden, Hungary, Austria 

Persons 

involved 

72 

Project leader (BIM) Helmut Sax 

Project experts Julia Planitzer 

Astrid Winkler (ECPAT Austria) 

Contact person Helmut Sax, helmut.sax@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Center for the Study of 

Democracy (CSD), Bulgaria 

April 2011 to April 2013 

Publication Final Report in 2013 

Partner 

organisations 

� Censis Foundation, Italy 

� The Crime Victim 

Compensation and 

Support Authority, 

Sweden 

� People In Need, Slovakia, 

� University of Pécs, 

Hungary 

Funded by European Commission, EU Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Call for Action 

Grants 2009/10

End violence against children and juveniles in custody 

Summary 

The principal aim of this project is a child/youth participatory assessment of situations of violence while 

in custody as well as developing measures to counter violence against young people in custody. 

This methodologically challenging project is implemented in two main stages: 

Year one – investigating children’s and young people’s views and experiences and raising awareness: 

� desk-based study of law, policy, practice and mechanisms for access to justice 

� conduct parallel investigations to find out children and young people’s experience of 

violence in custody and their views on what needs to change at domestic level 

� based on the investigations’ findings, work with children and young people to identify 

useful comparisons and opportunities for learning to be shared between countries, and 

develop recommendations for change at European level 

� raise awareness of children’s views, experiences and recommendations for change 

� compile findings into a single investigation report, with virtual launch 

Year two – supporting children and young people to create change: 

� support children and young people to conduct targeted campaigns based on the year one 

investigation findings 

� campaigns to clearly identify the changes needed and set SMART targets; focus on 

influencing those with the power to make the change happen; campaigns’ progress to be 

tracked online; final results to be published and disseminated through virtual launch 

Countries England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Austria 

Persons 

involved 


Project expert Julia Kozma 


Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Children’s Rights Alliance 

for England (CRAE) 

February 2011 to February 2013 

Publication Final Report in 2013 

Partner 

organisations 

Funded by European Commission/DAPHNE III-Programme 

Austrian partners: 


Institute of Human Rights, 

Weißer Ring etc. 

� International Juvenile 

Justice Observatory, 

Belgium 

� Defence for Children 

International, The 

Netherlands 

� Commissioner for 

Children’s Rights, Cyprus 

� Save the Children 

Romania 

73

DAPHNE Diffusion – Information tools for a DAPHNE programme community 

Summary 

The EU DAPHNE Programme on the protection from violence against children and women has already 

supported several hundreds of projects across Europe. The DAPHNE Diffusion project now aims to 

support exchange information about these projects and its implementing partners and thus contribute 

to the creation of a DAPHNE programme community of researchers and practitioners. 

The main activities include an assessment of information needs and the development of practical tools, 

in particular a shared dissemination tool: “Directory of the DAPHNE community”. 

The BIM takes part in the assessment and provides country-specific information about possible 

relevant partners for the directory. 

Countries DAPHNE programme countries 

Person 

involved 

74 



Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Association Naturalia et 

Biologia (NEB), France 

January 2011 to January 2013 

Publication Directory and Final Report in 2013 

Partner 

organisations 

Funded by European Commission/DAPHNE Programme 


Institute of Human Rights, 

Austria 

� Psytel (NGO working on 

prevention of violence and 

injury), France 

� Associaçào para o 

Planeamentoda Familia - 

(APF), Portugal 

� Social Services Agency, 

Latvia

Children’s views on involvement in European and international decision-making 

Summary 

In recent years a growing number of actors has started to actively involve children and young people in 

European and international decision-making processes, ranging from the UN Committee on the Rights 

of the Child to the Council of Europe, European Union and NGOs. 

This EU-funded project undertakes for the first time to collect views of children and young people 

themselves on these initiatives, i.e. to what extent are these participation opportunities actually known 

to them, what experiences have there been made already and what do children and young people 

think to be a good participatory practice. The project is lead by the Children’s Rights Alliance for 

England (CRAE), with partners and associate partners from six further countries. 

Key activities include: 

� developing a Children’s Guide on European and international participation processes 

� literature review on existing material/feedback from children 

� NGO survey on views of non-governmental actors 

� in each partner country: holding of a national consultation event with about 100 children 

and young people 

� national reports on the event, including an evaluation report with feedback from children 

and young people and joint full report with recommendations on good practice 

� European Conference 

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights was leading the literature review and also acted as 

Austrian national partner for the consultation event. 

Countries United Kingdom, Ireland, Romania, Estonia, Austria, with associated partners from 

Moldova and Russia 

Persons 

involved 


Research and national 

consultation event 


Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Children’s Rights Alliance 

for England (CRAE) 

April 2010 to October 2011 

Ingrid Ausserer 

Sabine Mandl 

Dorothea Steurer 

Partner 

organisations 

Publication Final report, to be expected in early 2012 



� Estonian Union for Child 

Welfare, Estonia 

� Children’s Rights Alliance 

for Ireland, Ireland 

� Save the Children, 

Romania 

� Children’s Rights 

Information Centre, 

Moldova 

� International Union of 

Children’s NGOs, Russia 

Funded by European Commission, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme 

75

INTEGRACE – Integrating Refugee and Asylum-seeking Children in the Educational 

Systems of EU Member States 

Summary 

This project aims at contributing to a better understanding on the current status and possibilities for 

improvement of the integration in education of refugee and asylum-seeking children in all EU Member 

States (and some neighbouring countries). 

For this purpose, the project: 

� collects information for the identification of successful educational programmes and 

projects (“best- practice-examples”), 

� undertakes evaluations of selected “best-practice-examples” in western European 

countries and assesses in particular transferability of such measures to other 

contexts/countries, 

� undertakes situation analysis in selected eastern European countries to assess 

possibilities for adaptation of best practices, 

� compiles a handbook with results from all country reports, evaluations and situation 

analysis, comparative study and recommendations. 

The main target group of beneficiaries of this project are refugee and asylum-seeking children, but also 

children with subsidiary/temporary protection status/humanitarian residence permits, unaccompanied 

and separated children and child victims of crime (e.g in the context of child trafficking). 

The BIM has taken responsibility for identifying “best-practice-examples” and analysis of the legal and 

policy framework in Austria and in Germany, as well as conducting an evaluation of one example in 

Austria. In addition the Austrian country report will be published in German and send to all relevant 

stakeholders working in that field. All project results will also be made available on the BIM-Website. 

Countries 27 EU Member States, Norway, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia 

Persons 

involved 

76 


Researchers Sabine Mandl 

Margit Ammer 

Barbara Liegl 

Monika Mayerhofer 


Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Centre for the Study of 

Democracy (CSD), Bulgaria 

September 2010 to March 2012 

Partner 

organisations 

Publication Handbook will be published in February 2012 



� CENSIS Foundation, 

Rome 

� Peace Institute, Ljubljana 

� University of Halmstadt 

(Sweden) 

� several individual experts 

Funded by European Commission/European Refugee Fund, Community Actions 2009

polis – Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools 

Summary 

polis, the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools supports teachers in putting citizenship 

education into practice at schools. The Centre provides teaching materials, acts as information and 

consultation platform, offers university education and in-service trainings for teachers as well as 

workshops for students. Apart from knowledge transfer activities polis also engages in awareness 

raising and sensitisation for all issues concerning politics, democracy and human rights. 

polis was initiated by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture at the BIM-FV in 

2006. The Centre emerged from the Service Centre for Human Rights Education (since 1997 at the 

institute) and the Service Centre for Civic Education (since 2002 at the institute). 

Main tasks of polis are, among others: 

� periodical for teachers “polis aktuell” 

� purchase, publishing und distribution of teaching materials on civic education 

� in-service teacher trainings 

� workshops for school classes 

� organisation of events, e.g. EDC Action Days 

� coordination of a teacher’s network 

� consultation and support of teachers 

� Austrian Agency for Education for Sustainable Development in cooperation with 

Environmental Education Forum 

� coordination of an European project week at an Austrian school within the framework of 

the project “Young ideas for Europe” 

� host institution within the framework of the scholarship programme “Transform Europe | 

Civic Education in Action” 

� national and international cooperations, e.g. DARE, EUROCLIO, NECE 

→ www.politik-lernen.at 


Persons 

involved 

Leader Patricia Hladschik 

Staff members Ingrid Ausserer 

Maria Haupt 

Dorothea Steurer 

Elisabeth Turek 

Contact person Patricia Hladschik, patricia.hladschik@politik-lernen.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 




Partner 

organisation 

Emerged from the Service Centre for Human Rights Education (since 1997 at the 

institute) and the Service Centre for Civic Education (since 2002 at the institute) 

Established in February 2006, contract extended until 2014 

- 

77

VOICE. Developing citizens. 

Paths to core-competencies through a problem-based learning project in civic education. 

Summary 

VOICE is a Comenius multilateral project funded by the European Commission which started in 

January 2011. The project consortium – formed by educational experts and practitioners from nine 

different institutions from Austria, Estonia, Germany, Slovenia and Turkey – develops 

(1) an innovative strategy for education in secondary schools, in which both civic engagement 

and learning-to-learn competences shall be improved and enhanced. To achieve the 

sustainable implementation of such a competence-orientated civic education, the consortium 

will develop; 

(2) a teacher training course which focuses on necessary background knowledge and 

methodological tools for teachers to realize competence-orientated civic education. 

Final products of the project will be 

(a) four thematic modules for school teaching on the subjects Democracy, Europe, Human 

Rights and Migration, and furthermore 

(b) “key modules”, which focus on the enhancement of social/civic, learning and 

methodological competences. 

The variable combination of modules allows an effective orientation towards different target groups 

with different needs, interests and qualifications/competences. Moreover the learning modules can be 

related to current political debates in the European and national public. 

→ www.voice-comenius.org 

Countries Austria, Estonia, Germany, Slovenia, Turkey 

Persons 

involved 

78 

Project leader (BIM) Elisabeth Turek 

Contact person Elisabeth Turek, elisabeth.turek@politik-lernen.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 

Leibniz University 

Hannover, Institute for 

Political Science (AGORA 

Citizenship Education) 


Partner 

organisations 

Publication Manual with teaching and learning materials planned for 2012 

Funded by European Commission, Lifelong Learning Programme COMENIUS 

� Austria: 

Demokratiezentrum Wien 

and polis – Austrian 

Centre for Citizenship 

Education in Schools 

� Estonia: The Jaan 

Tõnisson Institute (Center 

of Civic Education) and 

Tallin English College 

� Slovenia: Center for 

Citzenship Education and 

Commercial High School 

Maribor 

� Turkey: Selçuk University 

(Faculty for Educational 

Science), Konya 

Provincial National 

Education Directorate

Study on Data Security within the Transposition of the Data Retention Directive in 

Austria 

Summary 

Directive 2006/24/EC requires the retention of all telecommunications traffic- and access-data by all 

providers of public electronic communication networks and services within the EU. The provision of 

such services regularly includes the processing of personal data of users. In order to comply with the 

European Convention on Human Rights, particularly article 8 concerning the private life and 

correspondence, this data is classified and must not be publicly disclosed. The BIM conducted a study 

with the objective to evaluate technical solutions based on the legal requirements, providing a high 

level of data security and protection of fundamental rights. The results of the study lead to a legal 

proposal for regulation of data security in compliance with fundamental rights. However, the focus of 

the practical problems of data security rests with the secure transmission of data. For this reason, the 

main part of the study is the concept of a central “data hub”, the so-called “Durchlaufstelle” (DLS). This 

“data hub” has been developed by the author as a reference model. Personal data is encrypted and 

exchanged between sender and receiver in a way not accessible to the DLS itself. 

In addition to the theoretical background, a thorough empirical part including the documentation of six 

roundtables attempted to find a workable solution for all stakeholders. The draft regulation is therefore 

based on a broad professional consensus and is characterized by an unusually high level of technical 

determination. The draft regulation was open to public review until September 2011 and was adopted 

by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) in agreement with the 

Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) as well as the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) in December 

2011. Though some smaller amendments which were criticised from the perspective of fundamental 

rights protection, have been made, the substantial suggestions have been transposed into national 

legislation. 

Besides the data security study, as a subsequent work to the BIM-Draft for an amendment to the 

Telecommunications Act transposing the Data Retention Directive (http://bim.lbg.ac.at/en/informationsociety/bimdraft-act-implementing-data-retention-directive-contribution-edrigram-2122009), 

the BIM 

also supported public servants from the BMVIT with expert advice in the course of their work on a final 

draft law. 


Persons 

involved 


Researcher, author Christof Tschohl 

Contact person Christof Tschohl, christof.tschohl@univie.ac.at 

Lead 

organisation 

Starting/ 

end date 



May 2010 to July 2011 

Partner 

organisation 

Publication Tschohl, Christof: Data Security TKG-Novelle 2010, online-publication BIM- 

Website, 2011: http://bim.lbg.ac.at/en/digital-rights/study-data-security-withintransposition-data-retention-directive-austria 

Funded by Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) – FFG 

- 

79

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