Rechtskomitee LAMBDA (RKL) is Austria’s lgbt-rights-organisation. It has been founded in 1991 and is committed to the realization and safeguarding of human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (lgbt), i.e. the rights to equality, to autonomy and sexual self- determination. |
RKL does political lobbying as well as litigation in the courts. And it offers free legal counselling in all areas of the law related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life.
RKL produces quarterly newsletter Ius Amandi, which deals with legal and political issues of lgbt-life.
In the 15 years since its foundation RKL has achieved landmark political, statutory and court decisions essential for the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Austria’s lgbt-community today. RKL-president Dr. Helmut Graupner, on that basis, has been honoured with the Gay and Lesbian Award (G.A.L.A.) of the Austrian Lesbian and Gay Movement.
RKL is member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association ILGA. RKL- president Dr. Helmut Graupner, serves as Vice-President of the International Lesbian and Gay Law Association ILGLaw and as the Austrian member of the European Commission on Sexual Orientation Law ECSOL.
There are no anti-homosexual criminal offences anymore in Austria. The age of consent is set at 14, equally for homo- and heterosexual contacts. Since the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Karner vs. Austria 2003 and since the repeal of discriminatory partner-benefits in social health insurance by the Constitutional Court in a landmark RKL-supported case in October 2005 unmarried same-sex couples are to be treated on the same footing as unmarried opposite-sex couples. There is however no partnership law and the ban on same-sex marriage is still standing. Legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is limited and mainly based upon European law.
|