United Nations Forum on Minority Issues Fourth Session — "Guaranteeing the rights of minority women" "National practices and experiences: positive measures/ affirmative action and role models" _Geneva 29 — 30 November 2011 Statement • y Austria \ Mme Chair, We welcome the focus of the discussion on national practices and experiences with regard to the rights of minority women and girls. We consider this exchange of information on national laws, policies and practices that have been developed to foster the rights of minority women and their impact on the full enjoyment of the rights of minority women and their empowerment as an important opportunity to raise the level of awareness of the particular situation and needs of minority women worldwide. Minority women in Austria belong either to the legally recognized autochthonous ethnic groups and enjoy special rights with regard to protecting and promoting their own languages and culture. or they belong to the group of immigrants who are in a quite different situation with specific challenges and needs which require appropriate support programmes to facilitate integration. Based on the universal right to equality before the law and protection against discrimination, an extensive set of anti-discrimination legislation is in force both on federal and provincial level which is continuously being enhanced and