Sabine Mandl, women’s rights expert at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights, participated in the panel discussion: “Fluchtpunkt Gender”, organized by the OIIP (Austrian Institute for International Affairs), on 2.10.2018.

The discussion with Sabine Mandl, Livia Styp-Rekowska from the International Organization for Migration – IOM and Judith Haller from the Austrian Red Cross was focused on women’s rights and violence against women in the context of flight and migration.

Sabine Mandl emphasized that in addition to interpersonal violence (physical, mental and sexual violence), structural violence also presents a reason for flight or migration of women. Structural violence refers to access to education, health facilities and the rule of law in general. States must commit to their duty when they have signed human rights standards and international agreements. In the case of protecting women from violence, this duty of care includes preventive measures, guarantee of protection, support structures, police reports, prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators and compensation. Many states, however, are not fulfilling their obligations, which further aggravates the situation of women if they are sent back to “supposedly” safe countries of origin following a negative asylum decision. If women are affected by violence, they need international protection, as the Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence) also demands.

A comprehensive documentation of the discussion can be found on the page of the OIIP. (German)