The main goals of the Department against Discrimination are the creation of a greater awareness for the phenomenon of discrimination, the publication of anonym reports, and recommendations in the context of anti-discrimination. For intensifying the dialogue with non-governmental and governmental institutions in the field off anti-discrimination the Department participates regularly in a process of exchange and experiences. The concrete activities in the context of fighting against discrimination are executed by the Independent Representative for the Protection of employees (Unabhängiger Bedienstetenschutzbeauftragter, UBSB). This function is completely independent from other departments.

The whole Viennese population shall benefit but the measures are also oriented towards special groups (recent or new immigrants, young people, women, ethnic communities as Roma or Chinese).

The legal basis are the Law against Discrimination (ADG), the amendment of civil service law of 1994 and the amendment of the law for contract workers (1995, anti-discrimination amendment). The Viennese Law against discrimination is banning discrimination of any kind because of ethnic, racial, religious, ideological or sexual orientation reasons. This law is the basis for all activities of the Department against Discrimination and is valid for the sectors of social affairs, health, education, provision of public goods and service provision of all kind, including housing and self-employment insofar as these affairs are part of the regulation competence of the City of Vienna. Offenses against these regulations are punished under civil service law and under the disciplinary law of the City.

The diversity measures are directed against the entire Viennese population independent of nationality, religion or durance of stay. The Department offers measures to accompany establishment and integration especially directed at new immigrants (welcome folder, orientation consultations, job consultations, series of seminars voucher of language training, special training courses for young people with up to 600 lessons). The Department closely co-operates with communities in a much differentiated way (associations of Roma people, employees and owners of Chinese restaurants etc).

See attached file.

Evaluation measures are still in their initial phase and evaluation results not available yet.

Concerning the funding and resourcing one has to say that the basic principle is that each municipal department is self-reliable for funding of each measure and department specific public relations. The Municipal Department 17 is able to grant a special budget for common innovative projects or to grant at least an initial project budget funding for measures in the field of diversity.