UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women publishes concluding observations on Greece
In its concluding observations, which include recommendations for Greece as a party to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Committee welcomed the progress made since the previous review in 2013 in legal, political and institutional reforms aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and promoting gender equality in Greece, but noted with concern the lack of information on legal issues among rural women, women with disabilities and women belonging to ethnic minorities, including women belonging to the Muslim minority in Thrace.
The Committee recommended that Greece take special measures to accelerate equality between women and men in all areas covered by the Convention in which women, including women belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace, are underrepresented or disadvantaged, such as political and public life, education and employment.
The Committee noted with concern the persistence of structural obstacles to women's participation in political and public life in Greece and recommended that women be represented on a gender-equal basis, in particular at decision-making levels in the National Parliament and municipal councils, in government and in the public service.
Noting with concern the high unemployment rates among rural women, the Committee recommended that Greece improve access to employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged groups of women, such as women belonging to ethnic minorities, including women belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace.
Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) attended the 87th Session of CEDAW and followed the day-long examination of Greece on 6 February. Prior to the session, ABTTF had prepared a parallel report to the combined eighth and ninth periodic reports submitted by Greece to CEDAW and submitted the parallel report to the Committee in which the problems of women belonging to the Turkish community in Western Thrace were detailed.
