About us

Österreichischer Behindertenrat Umbrella Organisation of the Austrian Disability Associations

• Members: About 80 member associations representing approximately 400.000 persons with disabilities in Austria
• Goals: Political lobby and advocacy organisation, coordination of the various interests of our member organizations as well as their implementation
• Tasks: Development and upkeep of various documentations, collaboration in numerous panels and commissions, as well as many other activities
• The Secretariat: Administration, Legal department, EU and International Department, Public Relations

Österreichischer Behindertenrat is a political lobby organisation

The „Österreichischer Behindertenrat“ as an umbrella organisation represents about 80 member associations with over 400.000 individual members.

The Österreichischer Behindertenrat is politically independent and non-confessional and offers a wide range of services to member organisations, individual members and partners.

Legal Department

The main tasks of the legal department of the Österreichischer Behindertenrat are among others the appraisal of amendments to legislative acts, while taking the interests of our member organisations into consideration, initiating legal provisions, active participation during drafting of legal acts, negotiations with public authorities regarding the aforesaid and finally forwarded the pertinent information to our member organisations.

European and International Department

The topic disability is politically highly relevant on the European as well as on the International level. The European law and the international conventions strongly influence the Austrian disability policies and Austrian law. Therefore, it is the opportune time for networking, lobbying and for pursuing common goals on a supranational level.

Public Relations

The newspaper monat – socio-political magazine, which is published four times a year, the homepage of the Österreichischer Behindertenrat as well as regular press releases on political subjects are the main work priorities. The e-mail „Infoletter” is a new regular service for our member organisations.

Tasks of the Österreichischer Behindertenrat

• Development and upkeep of various documentations (technical aids, specialised literature, social services and institutions) in connection with the existing documentations of various institutions and organisations.
• The preparation of political proposals and demands of persons with disabilities and consequently the attempt to realise these proposals and demands on the national and international level; especially in the areas of building and engineering, justice, labour market, social affairs, education and vocational training.
• Collaboration in numerous panels and commissions: for instance Standards Committees, the Vienna school authority, various panels in Federal ministries (education, social affairs etc.), panels on long term care, panels of the Federal disability authorities, the Independent Monitoring Body for the Implementation of the UN-Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the European Disability Forum (EDF) in Brussels etc.
• Contact to all scientifically active institutions, active in the area of disability relevant issues, for instance architecture, mechanical engineering, medicine, pedagogic, social-, political, information- and sports sciences.
• Thematic work on national, European and international level, for example non-discrimination, bioethics, barrier-free design, transport, accessibility of buildings, workplace, living, accessibility of products and services and much more.
• Barrier-free environment: includes, inter alia, the constant development of all Austrian building regulations, promoting accessibility of historical buildings, pavement chamfer, orientation aids for blind persons as well as communicative assistance, etc.

Österreichischer Behindertenrat – Secretariat

The secretariat fulfils all administrative tasks forwarded by the representatives of the “Österreichischer Behindertenrat”. It is the point of call for all questions and problems, which are brought to its attention by the member associations, public authorities and by the general public. Its task is the co-ordination of all activities of the members of the board and staff members, as well as keeping the member associations and all staff members informed by means of personal contacts, telephone calls, the magazine monat as well as the homepage www.behindertenrat.at.

Staff members

Mag.^a Dr.ⁱⁿ Gabriele Sprengseis MSc. Secretary-General (DW 115)
g.sprengseis@behindertenrat.at

Anna Egger, Office management (DW 112)
a.egger@behindertenrat.at

Karin Draschkowitz Administration &Euro-Key (DW 113)
k.draschkowitz@behindertenrat.at

Fritz Rücker Administration &Euro-Key (DW 111)
f.rücker@behindertenrat.at

 

Dr.ⁱⁿ Christina Meierschitz Legal department (DW 212)
ch.meierschitz@behindertenrat.at

Mag.^a Christina Wurzinger E MA European and Int. Department (DW 211)
ch.wurzinger@behindertenrat.at

Mag.^a Gudrun Eigelsreiter MSc European and Int. Department (DW 214)
g.eigelsreiter@behindertenrat.at

DI Emil Benesch Project Management (DW 215)
e.benesch@behindertenrat.at

Mag.^a Heidemarie Egger, Communications and PR (DW 213)
h.egger@behindertenrat.at

Mag. Michael Janousek Digital Media, Photography, Video
m.janousek@behindertenrat.at

Address

Österreichischer Behindertenrat
1100 Vienna, Favoritenstraße 111/11
T: +43 (1) 5131533, F: +43 (1) 5131533 150
www.behindertenrat.at
dachverband@behindertenrat.at

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