To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Hellenic Parliament organized two special sessions.

The Special Standing Committee on Equality, Youth and Human Rights convened a session on “The elimination of discrimination against women and the end of gender violence”. The special session was attended by representatives of the General Secretariat for Gender Equality, the Greek Women’s Association, the Women’s Rights League, the Political Association of Women, the Network to combat violence against women, the Democratic Women’s Movement, the Greek delegation to the European Women’s Lobby, and the Federation of Greek Women.

A special plenary session was devoted to a discussion on the elimination of violence against women. In his intervention during this session, the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Philippos Petsalnikos, underlined that “The phenomenon of violence against women in our society is, of course, linked to the overall debate on whether we have achieved gender equality in substantial terms, not just at the legal and political levels, but also at the level of social consciousness and awareness.”

He noted that “without a conscious and coordinated social response, we see the propagation of stereotypes regarding gender relations and the roles of men and women in society”. “We find ourselves thus at mid-point in an effort which requires coordinated and systematic action. Legislative regulations and wishful thinking do not suffice. Efforts must begin in schools and within the family in order to educate adult men and women so they respect themselves and their fellow citizens. Social services must help working mothers, mothers of more than three children, to cope with their increased responsibilities, and we must address in an effective manner all forms of inequality and violence”.