WSF Meeting on Islamophobia and the Rise of the Far-Right in Europe with Austrian Parliamentarian Petra Bayr, 4 November 2024

On 4 November, the Women for a Sustainable Future (WSF) network convened online to discuss the rise of the far right and the associated increasing levels of Islamophobia with a particular focus on recent developments in Austria.

The discussion was led by Petra Bayr, a Member of the Austrian National Council and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) spokesperson for foreign affairs and global development. Participants included parliamentarians, former parliamentarians and government advisors from Finland, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Türkiye, and the UK.

The discussion focused on how right-wing parties in Austria, particularly the Freedom Party (FPÖ), have promoted xenophobic rhetoric, leading to increasingly restrictive policies targeting Muslim communities. Participants highlighted the unique and disproportionate challenges faced by Muslim women, who often bear the brunt of such policies. They emphasised that the WSF network is well-positioned to establish a cooperative framework for conducting regular reviews of international recommendations and existing laws aimed at combating Islamophobia.