Anti-discrimination The admission of women refugees and their children to women’s shelters in situations of acute danger or in a crisis situation after domestic violence is possible in several Laender regardless of the residence status, that is, also for women refugees and their children. In some Laender, women refugees can only stay in a women’s shelter for a short period of time. Additionally or as an alternative to women’s shelters, several Laender report on houses available exclusively to women refugees and their children within the basic provision agreement. In the opinion of the AOB, the necessary guarantee of the protection and the safety of all persons in Austria, in particular of women refugees and their children, is derived from the universal human rights. Protection against violence regardless of residence status This is expressly stated in the Istanbul Convention – the convention of the Council of Europe for the prevention and combatting of violence to women and domestic violence – that was ratified by Austria and has been in force since 2014 (in particular Article 4 and 23). This requires that the signatories create measures to protect female migrants and refugees and their children against violence. According to the Convention, sufficient suitable and easily accessible protective accommodation, above all women’s shelters, with relevant security standards shall be provided for all women and children who are victims of violence. The EU Reception Conditions Directive (2013/33/EU) obligates member states to take suitable measures to prevent attacks and gender-based violence including sexual assaults and harassment in the accommodation facilities (Article 18 (4)). Regardless of the prevailing legal situation of the respective Land, it must be ensured on grounds of the protection of human rights that women refugees and their children must be guaranteed the same protection from domestic and any other type of violence as all women living in Austria. The situation of particularly vulnerable women and the protection of women and their children against violence is given special attention through the AOB’s preventive human rights mandate and the visits made by the commissions to the basic provision facilities. But also, within the framework of the ex-post control, the AOB will pursue every indication of problems in the protection of women against violence, be they women refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or other groups. 41