WOMEN RIGHTS IN GREECE: THE CASE OF ASYLUM SEEKERS

Hey guys! As I presented my seminar paper to the class, here it is.

The Greek Constitution contains a comprehensive set of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights and freedom and the case of women, like those incorporated in the most important international and regional human rights treaties. It proclaims that respect for and the protection of human dignity constitutes a primary obligation of the state and guarantees the rights of persons as individuals.

Figure 1.

RIGHTS FOR ALL WOMEN IN THE WORLD MUST BE FAIR.

Human rights abuses in Greece is endemic particularly in the case of women. Greek crisis hits women especially hard disproportionately affected by public sector cuts and expected to step into caring roles, women also face rising domestic violence. Greece is a member state of the European Union (EU) on January 1, 1981. The EU must not be complacent on the issues of its member state. According to Dick Oosting, Director of Amnesty International’s EU Office in Brussels, Belgium. “There is an all too familiar pattern emerging, in these reports of human rights abuses within the European Union, of abuse of state agents, including torture, ill-treatment and excessive use of force, often directed at minorities, third-country nationals and asylum seekers, but also EU nationals.” He also stated, “Amnesty International believes that serious infractions of fundamental rights in one EU member state are not just the responsibility of that country, but also be the proper concern of the EU as a whole”.
Amnesty International recalls that the EU prides itself on being a Union “founded on the principles of liberty, democracy and respect of human rights and fundamental freedom, and the rule of law” (Art. 6 TEU).

The content is that, Greece is not an easy place for anyone to live at the moment. But, for women, it is particularly hard. Faced with what experts call a "double burden" familiar the world over but particularly acute in societies with more traditional gender roles, they have not only been disproportionately affected by public sector cuts but are also still expected to do the lion's share of care work. Experts say domestic violence is on the rise, discrimination is rife and legislation designed to further equality has been put on the back-burner.

For Titina Pantazi, the 70-year-old chair of the Women's Union of Greece who has lived through her country's civil war and dictatorship, it is a period of intense fear and trepidation that makes her worry for her daughter and for all Greek women. "It's time to go out and fight in order to safeguard the rights we have gained," she says. "They are … in danger because of the crisis. It's our duty." According to the national statistical authority, more than a quarter of women, 26% were out of work in March, compared to 19% of men. Austerity-imposed hiring freezes in the female-dominated public sector have hit women hard and led to a contraction in the number of jobs available with maximum maternity cover.

Figure 3.

Titina Pantazi

In the case of the refugees or asylum seekers, Greek authorities are failing to provide adequate protection for women and girls living in government-run, then one of the affected were asylum seekers. European Union-sponsored facilities for asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos, Human Rights Watch said today. In November, 2017, Human Rights Watch interviewed 25 asylum-seeking women and girls as young as 13, living in the Moria “hotspot” on Lesbos. They described harassment, the threat of gender-based violence, and health risks. Human Rights Watch found that the conditions resulted from insufficient security, poor hygiene and sanitation facilities, and failures in the system to identify and address the needs of vulnerable people.

“There is no excuse for failing to meet even the most basic standards for protection of women and girls almost two years after the EU-Turkey deal entered into force,” said Hillary Margolis, women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The risks to women’s health and safety in Moria are dire, and as winter arrives, they will only get worse.”
Thousands of women and girls are trapped on Greek islands, often in horrendous conditions, due to a “containment” policy for asylum seekers, to facilitate speedy processing and return to Turkey under the EU-Turkey deal. “Hotspots” were established on several Greek islands to receive, identify, and process asylum seekers and migrants. Human Rights Watch has previously documented violence, insecurity, and unhygienic and unsanitary conditions in the hotspots. As of December 13, the population in Moria, which has a capacity of 2,330, was 6,238.

In some cases, officials had failed to identify vulnerable women and girls, as Greek laws require, and to refer them to appropriate support services and accommodation. They include pregnant women and women who have recently given birth, survivors of sexual and other serious physical or psychological violence, trafficking victims, and people with disabilities. Human Rights Watch interviewed women who clearly meet the vulnerability criteria but had not been given that status, including two who were nine months pregnant and sleeping on the ground in tents, and four who had informed authorities that they are survivors of rape, trafficking, or other gender-based violence.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras should end the Greek government’s containment policy of confining asylum seekers to the Aegean islands, 19 human rights and humanitarian aid organizations said in an open letter released today. Thousands of people, including very young children, single or pregnant women, and people with disabilities, are trapped in abysmal conditions as winter sets in. Forcing asylum seekers to remain in conditions that violate their rights and are harmful to their well-being, health, and dignity, cannot be justified by the implementation of the EU-Turkey deal, the organizations said. Thousands of women, men, and children are trapped in deplorable and volatile conditions, with many denied access to adequate asylum procedures. Asylum seekers who arrived on the islands in the first days of the implementation of the EU-Turkey Deal have been stuck there for almost 19 months. The recent increase in arrivals of men, women, and children has increased the pressure on the already overcrowded reception and identification centers known as hotspots. Current arrivals are still comparatively quite low and should be manageable for Greece and the EU more broadly, but they include a significant number of women and children.

Figure 4.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras

Greece is hard for women to be in the society. Officials had failed to identify vulnerable women and girls, as Greek laws require, and to refer them to appropriate support services and accommodation. The Greek islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos, and Leros have become places of indefinite confinement to thousands of refugees particularly women. Women and girls also said the toilets are unsanitary and unhygienic, with feces in some showers and toilets, and a lack of running water, forcing them to venture further from their tents to use alternate bathrooms. It needs to provide the proper sanitary for them. The Greek government should manage the situation together with the rest of the EU member countries. It is not just the problem of the state but a concern for all. The access of medicine, the right to education of the children, torture for the rights of women (pregnant, old and young) should be establish rightfully. If the situation continues to rise up this would have led to increase in mortality rates. This would be a serious problem of the Greek government. The migrants along with the refugees from Turkey will not be able accommodate in a good condition but will be treated badly. Continuous rally of the people to the government will rise, some may join in revolts and in some cases do an acceptable terror to the public. Authorities are unresponsive to their complaints and do not take adequate action to ensure their safety, according to some concern citizen in Greece. The principles of liberty, democracy and respect of human rights and fundamental freedom, and the rule of law must be implemented among the rest of the world especially the women.

Support and love women. Have liberty around us.

For mistakes and clarification, your free to leave comments so that we may check it. Thanks
With regard to this, my colleagues are free for questions. @zam398 @clarklangilao @rossanamae @dnnyjz thank you.

Sources:
Feree, Myra Marx., and Tripp, Ali Marie., (2006). Global Feminism: Transnational Women's Activism, Organizing, and Human Rights
Gundy, Alan Van and Grau, Ami B., (1997)., Women, Incarceration and Human Rights Violation
Chavkin, W. and Chesler, Ellen. (1999). Where Human Rights Begin: Health, Sexuality, and Women in the New Millennium