1. International contribution, pledges and commitments
Greece has a long-standing commitment to the comprehensive protection of human rights at both the national and international levels. Greece believes that the United Nations plays a unique and vital role in the promotion and protection of human rights and recognizes the crucial role of the Human Rights Council in strengthening the UN's ability to fulfil these responsibilities effectively.
Greece fervently supported the creation of an efficient Human Rights Council, equipped with a strong mandate, in order to set universal standards for the protection of human rights, prevent human rights violations, promptly respond to human rights emergencies and provide guidance and assistance to countries in need, with a view to attaining the highest standards of human rights protection. Greece believes that the Human Rights Council has proven to be the most suitable forum for the respect and protection of all human rights and fiindamental freedoms, through extensive dialogue on thematic issues on all human rights and by its prompt reaction to human rights situations that require its attention.
Greece has always been a staunch supporter of all efforts to enhance international cooperation in the field of the protection of human rights. Being party to almost all major relevant international instruments, Greece considers accountability for its actions to various international organizations in which it participates as a cornerstone for the effective protection of all human rights, through openness, transparency and international scrutiny.
Greece has ratified almost all of the core international human rights instruments. Greece will ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Moreover, Greece has recognized the competence of the Human Rights Committee, the Committee Against Torture and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women to examine individual communications under the relevant instruments.
In the context of the submission of its candidature for election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2013-2015, and in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/251, Greece announces the following voluntary pledges and commitments:
- To actively participate in the work of the Council, in particular to contribute to the full implementation of its mandate, aiming at further strengthening its credibility and
efficiency;
- To work and fully cooperate with all of the UN human rights mechanisms, as well as the Council's Special Procedures and to take into serious account their recommendations. The independence and high expertise of the Special Procedures mandate holders provide a unique framework for dialogue and cooperation. Greece has extended and maintains a standing invitation to all Special Procedures and it has received visits by the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in 2006, the Independent Expert on minority issues in 2008 and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in 2010;
- At an extremely challenging economic and financial juncture, to make every effort to maintain its voluntary contributions at meaningful levels;
- To promote the engagement of non-governmental organizations with the Council's work;
- To fully cooperate with the treaty monitoring bodies through the timely submission of its periodic reports and an appropriate follow-up to the recommendations made by those bodies;
- To fully engage with the Universal Periodic Review mechanism and to ensure an effective follow-up to UPR recommendations;
- To contribute, through national development cooperation, to the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and good governance in partner countries;
- To continue to contribute to the fight against racism, xenophobia, discrimination based on race and related intolerance, building on its experience from its active participation in the Durban Review Conference in 2009;
- To ensure adequate and effective responses to human rights crises when they occur, guided by the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, while promoting international dialogue and cooperation;
- To continue to promote dialogue and cooperation in an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding as the primary means for protecting and strengthening human rights worldwide;
- To continue to give special emphasis to the strengthening of gender equality, the rights of women and the rights of the child;
- To continue to work for the universality and indivisibility of all human rights, civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural, including the right to development. Greece will give particular attention to the relation between human rights, poverty, sustainable development and environmental protection, equal opportunities, access to essential natural resources (i.e. water), to food, to adequate shelter and sanitation services, to education, as instituted by the respective UN bodies, such as UNDP, UNEP and FAO.
2. National contribution, pledges and commitments
The Greek Constitution contains a comprehensive set of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights and freedoms, similar to those incorporated in the most important international and regional human rights treaties. It proclaims that respect and protection of human dignity constitute a primary obligation of the State and guarantees the rights of persons as individuals and members of the society, as well as the principle of the "constitutional welfare state".
International treaties ratified by Greece become an integral part of domestic Greek law and may be invoked directly before the courts, prevailing over any contrary provision of the law. Domestic courts are bound not to apply a legislative or any other provision which is contrary to an international treaty ratified by Greece, including human rights treaties.
The Greek legal order provides, at all levels, effective remedies against potential human rights violations. Every person enjoys the fundamental right to have recourse to courts in order to receive legal protection. All courts are under the obligation not to apply a law which is found to be contrary to the Constitution. There is also a comprehensive system designed for the protection of all persons against illegal acts or omissions committed by the Administration.
Independent authorities and national human rights institutions, based on the Constitution and/or ordinary legislation, cover wide and important sectors of the Administration, ensuring accountability within their respective spheres of competence. The Greek Ombudsman enjoys wide trust and confidence on the part both of the public, as evidenced by the constant flow of complaints by individuals and the constructive response of public authorities to the Ombudsman's
recommendations. The National Commission for Human Rights, an "A" accredited national human rights institution established in accordance with the Paris Principles, has confirmed its position as a major actor in the promotion and protection of human rights, through its monitoring and consultative activities, and as a privileged partner in the drafting of legislation in the field of human rights.
The Greek authorities have adopted over the years a number of policies to protect and promote human rights and to prevent human rights violations. The Greek authorities are, however, fully aware of the need for a constant and sustained effort to improve the level of human rights protection and to respond to a number of challenges that remain to be addressed.
In particular, Greece commits itself:
-To continue to implement the National Action Plan on Substantive Gender Equality, which focuses on the improvement, enhancement and implementation of the relevant legislative framework, on special policies for gender equality and on gender mainstreaming;
-To update and make more effective its domestic legislation on violence against women and to continue to provide information and counseling services to victims, building upon the existing best practices in this field;
-To step up its efforts to combat trafficking in human beings, through prosecution of the traffickers, protection of the victims, prevention and partnership among all relevant stakeholders, including NGOs;
-To take all the necessary steps to address effectively issues affecting Roma, to develop a coordinated and holistic administrative intervention based on local synergies and intervention projects, with the participation of Greek Roma themselves, and to implement educational programs in order to enhance the access of Roma children to the educational structures of the State, with no exclusion or segregation;
-To ensure accountability of law enforcement personnel, to review in an effective manner and through appropriate structures allegations of ill-treatment of individuals or violations of human dignity by police officers and to continue to put a special emphasis on training of police personnel;
-To spare no effort to deal with the challenges arising from the unprecedented flow of irregular migrants entering its territory, due to its geographical position at the external borders of the European Union, bearing in mind the European dimension of the problem; to continue to implement the National Action Plan on Migration Management, which provides, inter alia, for the improvement of asylum procedures and the establishment of efficient screening procedures, with appropriate living conditions for those involved, in accordance with international standards;
-To further promote consistent and efficient policies on legal migration, as well as measures and activities of third country nationals legally residing in Greece, through the national Strategy on Integration, aiming at the prevention of social exclusion, racism and xenophobia and the promotion of social cohesion;
-To continue to implement and to develop policies promoting the rights and ensuring the progress, prosperity and well - being of persons belonging to the Muslim minority in Thrace, in accordance with contemporary human rights norms and standards;
-To strengthen the fight against intolerance through an effective legislative framework and the implementation of awareness-raising and training activities addressed both to the general public and public officials; to update and to enhance criminal legislation punishing incitement to acts or activities which may result to discrimination, hatred or violence against individuals or groups of individuals;
-To further promote and reinforce actions and initiatives in the field of human rights education and to address any instances of discrimination and stereotypes, particularly in the Greek schools;
-At a time of an extremely challenging economic and financial situation, to make every effort to mitigate the effects of the relevant policies on the more vulnerable groups of the population and to establish adequate safety nets for the disadvantaged;
-To continue to implement integrated actions for the protection of children's rights, and more specifically to unaccompanied minors, based on the paramount principle of the safeguard of the best interests of the child;
-To promote the rights of persons with disabilities and their equal participation in the economic, social and political life of the country.
Civil society is regularly consulted in the formulation of policies and the drafting of legislation in the field of human rights. Draft laws or even policy initiatives by the Government are posted on the Internet in a blog-like platform prior to their submission to Parliament. Individuals and organizations can post their comments, suggestions and criticisms article-by-article. The National Commission for Human Rights, whose membership includes six major NGOs, submits consultative opinions on draft legislation related to the protection on human rights, as well as on national human rights reports to international bodies. Civil society was fully involved, in an open and transparent manner, in the preparation of Greece's UPR report, which was recently examined. Greece commits itself to fully associate civil society in the formulation and implementation of domestic human rights policy and programmes.
Greece will continue to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, both at the international and the national level.
26 Ιανουαρίου, 2012
