From September there will also be midwifery care for late miscarriages
Vienna (PK) – Women who suffer a miscarriage in an advanced phase of pregnancy are currently not entitled to support from a midwife – unlike so-called stillbirths (over 500 grams). This is now to be changed based on a unanimous decision in the Equal Treatment Committee. Corresponding changes to the General Social Security Act, the Commercial Social Security Act, the Farmers’ Social Security Act and the Civil Servants’ Health and Accident Act are scheduled to come into force on September 1, 2024.
He spoke unanimously Equal Treatment Committee also for the ratification of Convention 190 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), the “Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work”.
Numerous opposition motions were postponed – some repeatedly.
Midwifery care including miscarriages after the 18th week of pregnancy
During childbirth, women receive support from a midwife. Midwifery assistance is a benefit from the “insured event” of maternity. This currently usually occurs eight weeks before the expected date of delivery or with delivery – this also applies if a child is stillborn. If a child weighing more than 500 grams is stillborn or dies during birth, it is called a stillbirth; if it weighs less than 500 grams, it is called a miscarriage. This means that women who are already in an advanced stage of pregnancy and suffer a miscarriage are not entitled to the help of a midwife. That should change now. On the initiative of MPs Meri Disoski (Greens) and Elisabeth Pfurtscheller (ÖVP), women who suffer a miscarriage after the 18th week of pregnancy will in future also be entitled to midwifery assistance (4038/A).
Meri Disoski (Greens) was pleased that a non-partisan issue could be implemented through an initiative proposal. This is about supporting women in a difficult phase by expanding midwifery support. On the part of the ÖVP, Elisabeth Pfurtscheller and Werner Saxinger welcomed the initiative proposal to ensure care from a midwife from the 18th month of pregnancy. Miscarriages put women in a difficult position and therefore every form of care must be ensured.
Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) signaled her group’s approval, which was the success of several initiatives by citizens. Rosa Ecker (FPÖ) said she would like the regulation to come into force earlier, but her group of course supports the initiative.
SPÖ campaigned for more comprehensive regulation
The Social Democrats voted for the initiative, advocating a more comprehensive regulation and preferring a cross-party legislative proposal. Petra Oberrauner noted that the Social Democrats would advocate for a more comprehensive regulation in their own motion for a resolution (3153/A(E)). She regretted that discussions with the other groups had not been sought for the initiative proposal. In the case of miscarriages, there is no maternity protection, no midwifery care financed by health insurance companies and no contribution to funeral costs, although the physical and psychological stress is comparable, said Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ) in the motion for a resolution.
Pfurtscheller (ÖVP) was aware that today’s decision did not meet all of the demands of the SPÖ motion. However, the distinction between miscarriages and stillbirths has a number of legal implications that would first have to be clarified in a working group.
Federal Minister Raab said that the working group on pregnancy loss was tasked with finding a “smart solution” for bringing maternity leave forward. She suggested that one could think about an option right. At the same time, she referred to the achievement of the absolute ban on employment during maternity leave, which should not be questioned.
Another SPÖ motion for a resolution concerns an information offensive on abortion in Austria (3356/A(E)). In order to make abortions possible across the board, the SPÖ proposed launching an information offensive aimed at health workers. Elisabeth Pfurtscheller (ÖVP) saw no need for further advice after the Federal Minister had already made extensive efforts to strengthen women’s and girls’ advice centers as well as family advice and expanded the number of permanent positions. Meri Disoski (Greens) informed that an information letter had already been sent to the gynecologists. Both motions for resolutions were postponed.
Supporting the ILO Convention against Violence and Harassment in the World of Work
The MPs in the Equal Treatment Committee unanimously voted in favor of ratifying Convention 190 of the International Labor Organization (ILO). This is the “Convention on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the World of Work” (3996/A(E)). The motion for a resolution submitted by the ÖVP and the Greens is intended to send a signal against any humiliating, discriminatory, harassing and violent behavior in Austria’s working world, emphasized Romana Deckenbacher (ÖVP). ILO Convention 190 is seen as an important instrument for a safe and non-violent working world. Employers are therefore required to implement an appropriate workplace policy. According to the motion for a resolution, the ILO Convention should come into force in June 2024, emphasized Meri Disoski (Greens). At the same time as the motion for a resolution, the issue was discussed in today’s Council of Ministers, she noted.
The convention has not yet been ratified, emphasized Katharina Kucharowits (SPÖ). The SPÖ supported the motion for a resolution, but tabled an amendment that remained in the minority. In this, Kucharowits wanted to state that the ILO Convention would be ratified in the current legislative period.
There have been attacks in many areas, which is why the convention is needed, said Eva Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ). Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) and Rosa Ecker (FPÖ) declared their parliamentary groups’ approval.
SPÖ called for more transparency in salary information
Petra Oberrauner (SPÖ) called for greater transparency in salary information in job advertisements (4037/A(E)). Although information on minimum wages has been mandatory in job advertisements since March 1, 2011, the SPÖ believes that this is only happening insufficiently. In addition, “real wage transparency” is an important step for “fair pay” and to “close the wage gap between women and men”. From NEOS’s point of view, the application ignores reality. Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) spoke out in favor of maintaining flexibility and emphasized that payment depends on the applicant. Rosa Ecker (FPÖ) and Elisabeth Pfurtscheller (ÖVP) also went too far with their demands. The motion was postponed.
A proposal from the SPÖ for an income transparency law was again postponed (277/A). The issue of unfair pay and a lack of wage transparency particularly affects women, Oberrauner noted. The core point of the proposed bill is comprehensive internal salary transparency.
Meri Disoski (Greens) “accorded to the content” of both motions and referred to the coalition partner. Elisabeth Pfurtscheller (ÖVP) emphasized that wage transparency was introduced ten years ago. But income transparency alone will not result in better pay for women. At the EU level, there is a directive on wage transparency, she emphasized.
KI: Protecting and promoting women and girls
The SPÖ called for a comprehensive package of measures for greater gender equality in the development and application of artificial intelligence (4032/A(E)). Katharina Kucharowits (SPÖ) reported an increase in the number of AI-based cases of violence against women and girls. Advice centers need sufficient staff and further training. It is therefore essential to adapt the funding guidelines for projects that support women in dealing with AI-generated images. Kucharowits also called for legal consequences for deepfakes.
“We are experiencing a quantum leap,” said Gudrun Kugler (ÖVP). Global developments in the field of artificial intelligence cannot be regulated by Austria alone. The European AI Act will be implemented, she explained the postponement. Everyone is talking about AI “and almost nothing has been clarified,” said Rosa Ecker (SPÖ). Women are not taken into account enough and the application is too difficult for older people.
Opposition motions on women’s quotas, discrimination based on sexual orientation and child support were again postponed
The Equal Treatment Committee also dealt with numerous opposition motions that had already been discussed in previous meetings. The SPÖ’s demand for the implementation of the EU requirements for quotas for women in management positions in listed companies was again postponed (2620/A(E)). The previous mandatory gender quota of 30% is in force in Austria – but this is below the European requirements. In addition, SPÖ MP Mario Lindner referred to the Equal Treatment Act, which, in his view, does not offer sufficient protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation, age, religion and ideology. He called for an amendment (3470/A).
In 2018, there were 168,700 single parents in Austria with 246,200 children under the age of 25 to care for, 90% of whom were women, emphasized Rosa Ecker from the Freedom Party (301/A(E)). In the motion for a resolution, she criticized that a modern child support and maintenance advance reform is missing.
NEOS for reforms in reproductive medicine and protection from violence
Two NEOS concerns were also postponed again. By changing the Reproductive Medicine Act, they want to counteract discrimination against single women when it comes to artificial insemination (IVF). The current reproductive law would not give single women access to artificial insemination, Henrike Brandstötter (NEOS) showed (2443/A)). In order to enable women to collect and store eggs for the purpose of later fertilization even without medical indication – at their own expense – the NEOS called for a reform, also in the Reproductive Medicine Act (3279/A(E)).
In addition, the NEOS identified a lack of primary prevention when it comes to protecting against violence and called for strategic priorities to be set and appropriate measures to be developed to protect women from violence (3786/A(E)).
Conversion therapies and LGBTIQ hostility
The SPÖ once again called for a ban on so-called conversion therapies (2231/A(E)) and wanted to focus on LGBTIQ hostility and hate crimes. To this end, the Social Democrats called for an amendment to the protection against discrimination in the Equal Treatment Act (2047/A(E)).
The NEOS also advocated a comprehensive prevention program against violence against LGBTIQ groups (3203/A(E)). With a motion for a resolution, they referred to a significant increase in the number of attacks on members of sexual minorities and an increase in “hate crime crimes.” The NEOS once again brought up their demand for a ban on conversion therapies (943/A(E)). (Conclusion of the Equal Treatment Committee) gla/sox
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