Implementation issues

• Author: Theodoridis, Athanasios
• Pages: 82-86

82

8 IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

8.1 Dissemination of information, dialogue with NGOs and between social

partners

a) Dissemination of information about legal protection against discrimination (Article 10

Directive 2000/43 and Article 12 Directive 2000/78)

Article 13 of Equal Treatment Law 4443/2016 enshrines Articles 11 and 12 of Directive

43/2000 and Articles 13 and 14 of Directive 78/2000 relating to social dialogue. Article 17

enshrines Article 10 of Directive 43/2000 and Article 12 of Directive 78/2000 concerning

the dissemination of information.

The most important body which provides information about legal protection against

discrimination is the Ombudsman. It is an independent body, which provides legal aid,

assistance and general advice to people who consider that they have been victims of

infringements of the law and discriminatory practices. The Ombudsman maintains close

cooperation with civil society organisations and other competent bodies in order to

exchange know-how and experience in the field of protecting the rights of vulnerable

population groups. In this context, it actively participates in educational programmes,

workshops and events organised at its own initiative or by the various bodies that engage

in these issues. The Labour Inspectorate also plays a distinctive role in the dissemination

of information.

According to its 2019 Special Report on Equal Treatment,214 the Ombudsman has

consistently sought to cooperate with civil society organisations and other stakeholders

and services in order to exchange information and experience in the fight against

discrimination. Although it does not have a special budget for promoting the principle of

equal treatment and for systematically planning and monitoring the results of its actions,

the Ombudsman actively participates in educational programmes, conferences, workshops

and events aimed at disseminating information and raising awareness about the

implementation and promotion of the principle of equal treatment. In this context, the

OmbudsmanΣs training activities at the National School of Public Administration and the

Hellenic Police Academies continued during 2019, in addition to systematic cooperation

with labour inspectorates throughout Greece.

The Ombudsman was represented at various meetings, including parliamentary meetings,

on issues related to the social integration of migrants (15 Ma rch 2019) and domestic

violence (3 De cember 2019), as well as issues around the protection of disabled people,

always emphasising the need for a special focus on substantially safeguarding equal access

to rights and services by vulnerable groups.

Distribution of materials and promotion of awareness raising by the Ombudsman

- During 2017, in order to inform and raise awareness of citizens as far as

discrimination issues were concerned, but also to facilitate the work of civil society

organisations taking action with regard to individuals and groups with protected

characteristics, the Ombudsman published two information leaflets215 about the

protection provided under the framework of Laws 3896/2010 and 4443/2016,

entitled ΡThe τmbudsman for equal treatmentΣ, in three different languages (Greek,

English and Arabic), and ΡThe τmbudsman for equal treatment in the field of labourΣ.

In addition, in order to familiarise students with the existing legal framework for

equal treatment, the Ombudsman carried out visits to schools to inform and raise

214 Greek Ombudsman (April 2020), Equal Treatment Report 2019 (   2019), available

at: https://www.synigoros.gr/resources/docs/ee_im_2019_el.pdf.

215 Greek Ombudsman, Annual Report 2017 (  ,   2017), p. 122, available in

Greek at: https://www.synigoros.gr/resources/docs/ee-isi-metaxeirisi-2017-gr.pdf.