320. On article G, as to whether nothing could be done to include prostitutes the representative said that as wall in the social security coverage, prostitutas had to be registered and undergo regular physical check-Up6 aad Her goal, however, was to were free to take out private health insurance. provide mandatory health and pension insurance coverage for prostitutes a6 they were obliged to pay tax. 321. Regarding article 7, she said that women's groups within political parties were not subsidized by tl1e Government, but by the parties concerned. Governmental department6 provided subsidies to specific programmes, and some ministries had sizeable special budget6 to 6UbSidi6e non-governmental women's groups and women’s projects. Independent associations were more likely to receive funding if their projects were relevant to societal issues. The representative intended to increase cooperation between women's organirations and also to make more funds available. It could be assumed that more women were taking part in political life as a result of their higher participation in the recent elections. However, women's representation in the higher levels of political leadership was not commensurate with the percentage of their participation in political parties. As to the percentage of women at the provincial level, she said that on the municipal council of Vienna, women accounted for 30 per cent of the membership, but in other provinces of Austria the percentage of women varied between only 6 and 10 per cent. 322. On article 8, the representative said that the percentage of women in the diplomatic service was increasing, and a special unit had been set up to deal with the possible problem6 of women when they were transferred abroad. 323. Referring to qUeStiOns under article 10, the representative said that the university curricula were the autonoinous responsibility of the universities. However, some influence could be exercised through other institutions. Since 1908, there had been a chair for women's studies at the University of Innsbruck, and two subjects dealing with women's studies had recently been introduced at two Austrian universities. For several years, women carrying out higher StUdi had been moving into traditionelly male fields. In law, general medicine and veterinary medicine , women accounted for about 50 per cent or more of the Students. But that tendency was not yet noticeable in the technical-mechanical fields. In primary 6ChOOl6, coeducational handicraft cour6es were taught to boys and girls, and efforts were being made to educate girls in informatics and mathematics. Home economic6 were mandatory for both sexes. School programmes on pertnership attitude6 and equality between women and men currently had only the character of suggestioas. 324. In the context of article 11, she said that recent amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act concerned a wider coverage of the minimum guarantee regarding unemployment benefit and emergency assistance, especially for groups that had never been covered by such benefit6 in the past. She thought tbat the reason why only 20 per cent of employed women returned to their jobs after one year of maternity leave seemed to be the scarcity of child-care centres. The percentage differed between urban and rut.al areas. It was to be a6SUmed that the situation would change with the new law regarding parental leave. Any person who was professionally discriminated against on the ground6 of sex could appeal to the Equal Treatment Commission or file a complaint in court. The sentences of the Commission or court judgements had to be published in the official gazette of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The -65-