The event "Institutional Initiatives for Gender Equality" was successfully held yesterday, Tuesday, November 19, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk. The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR).
The "GNCHR Report on the Status of Women in Greece" and the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Equality Action Plan 2024-2027" were presented during the event.
In his welcoming speech, Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis underlined the key-role of cross-cutting policies in achieving substantive equality and protecting persons belonging to vulnerable and underrepresented groups. This philosophy and approach also underpin the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Equality Action Plan 2024–2027”. He highlighted that "our vision is to reach a point of understanding where no Action Plan is required because inequalities will no longer have a place. Self-evident equality policies that are inherent in the value of the human being will be so embedded that no action on the part of the state authorities will be required”.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Teresa-Paraskevi Angelatou, noted that the Ministry’s very good performance on gender equality issues "gives us the motivation to strive even more for a Foreign Ministry that is representative of the Greek society as a whole, always for the benefit of our country's interests". More specifically, she said that women make up 50.5% of the total MFA staff, while 46% of them hold positions of responsibility in the Central Service. At the same time, Mrs. Angelatou stressed that the challenges now extend to issues of violence and harassment, reconciliation of work and family/personal life and multiple discrimination based on disability, age, sexual orientation, etc.
Moreover, the Head of the Unit for Equality of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spyridon-Heracles Aktypis, presented the main axes and priorities of the Action Plan, aiming at a safe and creative working environment.
The Action Plan outlines a total of 39 distinct actions set to be implemented over a four-year period, addressing various aspects of the Ministry's employees’ daily routine and the job they deliver.
The Plan includes actions ranging from expanding the workforce, addressing stereotypes and outdated attitudes through staff training programs, establishing “Equality Liaisons” and adopting gender-inclusive language, to the implementation of specific measures to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace, and protecting employees’ mental health –for example by hiring a workplace psychologist. Issues faced by other groups vulnerable to discrimination, namely people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, as well as LGBTQI+ employees and their family members, are also being tackled.
Mr. Aktypis noted that all actions contribute also to the “brain-gain” efforts, in alignment with the National Demographic Action Plan. By ensuring a workplace where young people feel safe and creative, the aim is to make the Ministry of Foreign Affairs an attractive work environment.
The GNCHR, represented by its President, Professor Maria Gavouneli, and Research Officer, Katerina Charokopou, presented the “GNCHR Report on the Status of Women in Greece”. The Report updates, in a single reference text, the positions of the Commission on the situation of women in our country, as a useful guide for the State authorities, the legislature, the Administration, law enforcement bodies, field professionals, researchers, and all stakeholders involved.
At the same time, the GNCHR Report highlights the key areas where the most violations of women's rights are identified, collects statistical data, and groups a large number of recommendations to the State by thematic category. For the preparation of this report, the GNCHR utilized all qualitative and quantitative research tools, such as Opinions, Proposals, Reports, Recommendations, Conclusions, and Findings, within the framework of cooperation with State bodies, Civil Society, and European and International Organizations.
MFA Equality Action Plan 2024-2027:
https://www.mfa.gr/media/2024/11/MFA_Equality_Action_Plan_2024-2027.pdf
GNCHR Report on the Status of Women in Greece:
https://nchr.gr/images/pdf/apofaseis/isothta_fullwn/KATASTASI_GYNAIKON.pdf
November 20, 2024