Welcome to Austria!!!
Welcome
and thank you for your interest in gender,
work and family issues in Austria! On this site you will find an array
of
information regarding the following: Austrian history, values and
traditions, employment inequality, leave policy, childcare policy,
alternative families, and organizations. We will also provide you
with additional resources for which you can use to further your
research on
these issues.
Introduction
With a population of over 8
million people living in six federal states, Austria is considered both culturally
and economically wealthy. Politically, Austria is special in that it is one of
six European countries that have declared permanent neutrality. Despite this
neutrality, Austria stands firm in its defense of the traditional family model
reinforced by cultural influences like the strong presence of the Catholic
Church. Landlocked in central Europe, many of Austria’s social policies seem to
be locked in the past, supporting the male breadwinner, female caretaker model
that many of its fellow European Union nations have abandoned. This has
ultimately led to fewer opportunities for women to enter and remain in the
workforce and a subsequently large gender pay gap. Despite the appearance of
increasing equality in the workplace and in policy making over the past decade,
Austria still lags behind many of the countries in its region in terms of policies
that promote a true balance of work and family.
Reference:
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2009. “Austria.” Retrieved April 20, 2009. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/44183/Austria)
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2009. “Austria.” Retrieved April 20, 2009. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/44183/Austria)
