Concluding comments of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: GreeceFollowing detailed examination, study of the problems, and consultation with political parties, women's organizations and gender sectors of social bodies, the General Secretariat for Gender Equality (GSGE) presents its political programme for the years 2004 - 2008, as it has been approved by the Government's Committee on 2.11.04.
This programme is an integrated and cohesive strategic intervention, mainly aiming at bringing out the political, economic, social and developmental interest of the gender equality issues. The issues of gender equality are linked to the dominant national policy priorities of the country, which are employment, development and social cohesion and their important international and European dimension is underlined. In this way, the GSGE seeks to render gender equality issues - till lately considered matters of a "special type" and, for many, "marginal" - a national issue. The GSGE underlines that equality between women and men is not an exclusively «women's issue», but an issue concerning the broader society, as women comprise 52% of the country's population and face problems in their social and economic integration.
During the implementation of its political strategy, the GSGE will be at a continuous and open process of dialogue/communication with social partners, and civil servants' and farmers' trade unions, as well as with political parties, but also with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are active in the gender equality field.
At the institutional level, priority is given to the establishment of a new national mechanism, namely the National Committee for the Equality between Men and Women, as a permanent mechanism for dialogue between Government and representatives of social partners, of non-governmental organisations, of ΟΚΕ (Economic and Social Council), of Local Administration and the Regions, in order to form and monitor relevant policies.
At the level of more specific actions, the GSGE will develop its strategic intervention around four axes, chosen as priority fields following a careful study of the existing situation and the identification of deficits.