Economic, social and cultural rights
The number of individuals at risk of poverty and social exclusion remained high, affecting 16.9% of the population. Those most at risk included single-parent households, individuals with disabilities, refugees and migrants.
The cost of living remained among the highest in the EU. While the government presented measures in September to regulate the rental market, it failed to implement a national housing strategy.
In September, the government announced plans to introduce additional accessibility criteria for social assistance that would negatively affect refugees.1
Women’s and girls’ rights
In 2025, 15 cases of suspected femicides were reported. In November, the government presented a national action plan to address gender-based violence, involving civil society organizations in its development.
Abortion was not fully decriminalized and was excluded from health insurance cover. Access to affordable safe abortion care remained limited in several federal states.
In December, the parliament passed a law that banned the wearing of a hijab for girls aged under 14 years in schools, which was discriminatory and violated their rights including freedom of religion and expression.
Freedom of expression and assembly
In April, a German climate activist had her residence permit revoked due to accusations of “serious threats to public order or security”. The decision had been appealed but no final decision was made by year’s end.
In July, parliament passed a law allowing police to use spyware on encrypted communications. In August, the minister of interior presented plans to substantially expand video surveillance in public places, despite concerns from civil society about harmful implications for freedom of peaceful assembly.
Authorities continued to apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, leading to a chilling effect on freedom of expression. Police continued to fine Palestinian solidarity protesters for chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, leading to a blanket prohibition of this slogan violating freedom of expression. A ministerial decree remained in force stipulating that the slogan justified an initial suspicion of “condoning terrorist crimes” pursuant to criminal law. In April, a court declared the dispersal of an assembly due to this same chant to be unlawful.
Refugees’ and migrants’ rights
Austria failed to adopt a federal provision to guarantee legal guardianship for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, despite government commitments and respective provisions deriving from the Common European Asylum System reform.
In July the government suspended family reunification for six months, and in December continued the suspension until at least July 2026, thus effectively eliminating the only safe pathway to Austria for people seeking protection.2
In July, the Ministry of Interior carried out the first deportation of a man to Syria, who reportedly disappeared afterwards. The UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances subsequently sent a letter to the Austrian government questioning the deported man’s whereabouts. Austria continued deportations to Syria.3
In October, the Ministry of Interior carried out the first deportation to Afghanistan since the Taliban took power.4
Discrimination
Austria failed to ensure human-rights compliant anti-discrimination legislation at federal and regional levels. In March, criminal investigators reported a wave of hate crimes against LGBTI people. The number of anti-Muslim and antisemitic hate crimes remained high.
Unlawful use of force
Police were still not required to wear identification badges, impeding accountability.5 Regulations regarding body-worn cameras were inconsistent.
In October, a commission of inquiry declared the police operation at a protest camp at the Peršmanhof memorial unlawful and disproportionate.
Right to a healthy environment
Austria was yet to pass a climate protection act. Experts criticized a leaked draft act as inadequate because it did not include Austria’s target to achieve net zero by 2040.
- “Austria: Government threatens to further undermine social assistance”, 15 September (German only) ↩︎
- “Austria: Planned restrictions on family reunification violate human rights”, 10 April (German only) ↩︎
- “Austria: Amnesty International continues to warn against deportations to Syria”, 25 September (German only) ↩︎
- “Dangerous breach: Austria hands people over to the Taliban for the first time”, 21 October (German only) ↩︎
- “Austria: One year of the police misconduct investigation unit: A good start, but independence must be ensured”, 20 January (German only) ↩︎
