Collaboration with NGOs When working with NGOs in the area of anti-discrimination, the AOB has found systematic infringements of human rights, e.g. during an assessment based on a complaint submitted by the anti-racism NGO ZARA. Numerous people had complained about the behaviour of authorities in connection with criminal complaints about advertisements hostile to foreigners and other forms of racist discrimination. 2010 also saw inter alia the completion of extensive investigative proceedings in connection with a complaint submitted by the "Klagsverband" (an umbrella organisation of NGOs working to combat discrimination) and ZARA about various aspects of how the Equal Opportunities Commission was conducting its operations. The outcome of these investigative proceedings was a series of legislative proposals which were incorporated into the evaluation process for the recent amendments to equal opportunities legislation. The AOB also suggested that it would be helpful if the possibility of class actions was introduced in this area. 34 International criticism The background to these proposals is that there have been various international reports highlighting a need for improvement in combatting discrimination in Austria. For example, the 4th Report of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) was critical of the lack of resources available to the equal opportunities executive bodies, and of the Equal Opportunities Commission’s slowness in handling proceedings. It also criticised the fragmentary legislation, institutions and proceedings in the area of equal opportunities law. The ECRI has recommended that the equal opportunities legislation be overhauled, and that civil society and NGOs play a part in this. Unresolved issues Although various AOB proposals were incorporated into the most recent amendments to equal opportunities legislation, a number of issues remain unresolved. Regrettably, although there were plans to broaden the scope of protection against discrimination beyond the world of work, so as to include discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, age, worldview or religion, this did not in fact happen. The AOB has for a long time been calling for equal protection for all against discrimination, e.g. most recently at Austria’s 1st Universal Period Review (UPR) of human rights in Geneva on 26 January 2011. Evidently the AOB must continue calling for measures of this kind.