Katrin Wladasch
Katrin Wladasch is leading the research groups (In-)Equalities and Non-Discrimination and Asylum and Migration, the latter together with Michael Lysander Fremuth. She has been employed with the institute since 2008. Her research focuses on questions of equality, non-discrimination and inclusion with a strong focus on intersectionality. She is vice-chair of the Litigation Association of NGOs against discrimination and was chair of ZARA-Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit, member of the Human Rights Advisory Board to the Austrian Ombudsman Office and Member of the body monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the city of Vienna.
Katrin has studied law and political science at the University of Vienna and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and has completed a training program to become a certified mediator. She has been in the founding team of the service centre for citizen education in schools, now polis, co-founder of ZARA – Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit and was also employed with both institutions before joining the LBI-GMR. She lectured at the University of Vienna and the University of Applied Sciences Krems between 2003 and 2024. Since 1996 and ongoing she has been working as a free-lance expert, consultant and trainer for national and EU institutions, public authorities, NGOs, the judiciary, companies and schools.
Research Focus
Non-discrimination, inclusion, (gender) equality, gender-based violence, access to justice
Publications
2026
- Wladasch, Katrin: ECHO Funds – Fundamental Rights Compliance in EU Funding. Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Grund- und Menschenrechte, 2026.
2025
- Bimlinger, Johanna; Wladasch, Katrin; Pritz-Blazek, Constanze; Mandl, Sabine; Riegler, Edith: Status quo-Erhebung von Maßnahmen und Unterstützungsangeboten bei geschlechterbasierter Gewalt an österreichischen Hochschul- und Forschungseinrichtungen, 2025.
- Birtha, Magdi; Wladasch, Katrin; Bimlinger, Johanna; Gjylsheni. Enhancing Charter Compliance of EU Funds. Research Report.
- Mayrhofer, Monika; Ammer, Margit; Wladasch, Katrin. The concept of vulnerability and its relation to equality in the context of human rights – cases from climate change, anti-discrimination and asylum.
2023
- Ammer, Margit; Mayrhofer, Monika; Wladasch, Katrin. Vulnerability in the Context of Human Rights: Policy Brief. Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Grund- und Menschenrechte.
- Wladasch, Katrin; Allram-Naaijer, Kristina; Birtha, Magda. The Role of National Human Rights Bodies in Monitoring Fundamental Rights in EU Funded Programs.
- Wladasch, Katrin. 2023. Is there any room for vulnerability in Article 14 cases? The case law of the European Court of Human Rights, Vulnerability and Human Rights Blog.
2022
- Liegl, Barbara; Wladasch, Katrin: Potentiale von Diversitäts- und Resilienzmaßnahmen zur erfolgreichen Bewältigung von Krisensituationen durch Unternehmen. Vorstudie im Auftrag der Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft, 2022.
- Rabenlehner, Stephen; Fremuth, Michael Lysander; Lukas, Karin; Wladasch, Katrin. “More than Compliance”: On Corporate Human Rights Responsibility. Support Document by the LBI-GMR for the Raiffeisen Sustainability Initiative.
2020
- Liegl, Barbara; Wladasch, Katrin: Nicht-Diskriminierung in Bezug auf Legasthenie und Dyskalkulie. Angemessene Vorkehrungen bei Leistungsbewertung bzw. -beurteilung – wie kann ein effektiver Nachteilsausgleich gewährleistet werden, 2020.
- Liegl, Barbara; Wladasch, Katrin. 2020. Comparative study – Strengthening equality bodies in the Western Balkan region in the field of hate speech. Report for the CoE.
- Wladasch, Katrin: Making Antidiscrimination Law Effective. Burden of Proof, Remedies and Sanctions in Discrimination Cases, in: The European Union as Protector and Promoter of Equality, 2020: 235–244.
2014
- Bojarski, Lukasz; Schindlauer, Dieter; Wladasch, Katrin. The Charter of Fundamental Rights as living instrument. Manual. [Buch]
Recent research projects
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National Framework for Protection Against Violence in Higher Education and Research
On behalf of the ministry of women, science and research, LBI-GMR supports the development of a national framework for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence at Austrian higher education and research institutions within this issue. The project builds on the findings of the previous Status quo assessment and implements two of its key recommendations through a cross-sectoral and participatory process.
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Training Curriculum on Fundamental Rights for Judgeship Trainees
In the course of the project, candidates for judicial office (RiAA) are taught human rights content relevant to their examinations, which is intended to prepare them for their future careers.
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Women* with disabilities as mentors for economic self-determination – strategies for reducing mental load
This participatory project implements an innovative mentoring and dialogue concept together with women* with disabilities across Austria.
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RIGHTSCITIES: Localising the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU by operationalising the FRA Framework for Human Rights Cities
RIGHTSCITIES aims to promote an effective implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights at city level and to raise awareness in this area.
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ECHOFunds – Enhancing Charter Compliance of EU Funds
ECHOFunds aims to improve the human rights compliance of EU funding by raising awareness of Charter rights and their implications and contributing to a common understanding of the role of different actors at all stages of the funding period.
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Vienna Human Rights City – Expert Consulting 2024/22
With the expert support of our institute, Vienna celebrates ten years as a “City of Human Rights” as well as the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Office.
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LGBTIQ Detainees – Strengthening the rights of LGBTIQ detainees in the EU
The project will raise awareness on and assess relevant standards as well as challenges, gaps and good practices with regard to the fundamental rights of LGBTIQ individuals in detention.
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Status quo assessment of measures and support services regarding gender-based violence at Austrian higher education and research institutions within the remit of the BMFWF
The project examines the measures and support services currently available at higher education and research institutions within the remit of the BMFWF to combat gender-based violence and develops recommendations for the individual sectors as well as the federal ministry.
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FLIGHTRISK: Assessing the risk of flight during pre-trial detention
The project examines the most common reason for pre-trial detention in five EU member states: flight risk. The aim of the project is to identify and debunk causes for the increased ordering of pre-trial detention.
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The Concept of Vulnerability in the Context of Human Rights
The aim of the research project is to conduct a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the concept of vulnerability from a human rights perspective based on empirical research.