Office of the Greek Ombudsman

Overview

The Greek Ombudsman is the national equality body with a mandate to combat discrimination and promote the principle of equal treatment irrespective of gender, racial or ethnic origin, family or social status, religion or belief, disability or chronic illness, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Brief history

The Greek Ombudsman is a constitutionally established Independent Authority. It has been in operation since October 1, 1998 and provides its services free of charge.

The Greek Ombudsman mediates between public administration and citizens in order to help citizens in exercising their rights effectively. Additionally, the Greek Ombudsman’s mission is:

• to safeguard and promote children’s rights;
• to combat discrimination and promote the principle of equal treatment irrespective of gender, racial or ethnic origin, family or social status, religion or belief, disability or chronic illness, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The most recent amendment of the national legal framework for equal treatment, with Law 4443/2016, assigned to the Greek Ombudsman the overall competence against discrimination, extending its competencies to both the public and the private sector in the field of employment for all grounds of discrimination.

The previous major milestones, in terms of the Greek Ombudsman’s mandate with regard to equal treatment, are the following:
• Law 3304/2005, in compliance with Council Directives 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC: For the implementation and promotion of the principle of equal treatment irrespective of race or national origin, religion or other beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation in the public sector;
•Law 3769/2009, in compliance with Council Directive 2004/113/EC: For the monitoring and promotion of the implementation of the principle of equal treatment between men and women as regards access to goods and services in the public sector; 
• Law 3896/2010 in compliance with Council directive 2006/54/EC: For the monitoring of the implementation of the principle of equal treatment between men and women in both the private and public sectors.

Governing laws and regulations

Mandate

Sectors covered

Private, Public

Functions

• Making recommendations on claims of discrimination [or other decisions on the merit that are not legally binding]
• Undertaking ex-officio investigations
• Organising training, advising and capacity-building activities for particular stakeholders on meeting their obligations
• Organising awareness raising and communication activities
• Advising government on the development, adoption and amendment of law and policy
• Monitoring national law and policy from an equality perspective
• Carrying out specialist research on equality and non-discrimination
• Reporting to national and international bodies on discrimination issues
• Networking with relevant entities in the country and internationally

Fields and grounds

Other grounds

In the fields of work and employment: national origin, genealogical descent, chronic condition, gender expression and gender characteristics.
In the fields of social protection, including social security and healthcare; social benefits and tax concessions or advantages; education; access to the supply and provision of goods and services made available to the public, including housing: gender expression and gender characteristics.

Other mandates of the institution

Multi-mandate equality body

Office of Ombudsman, NPM under National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture

Institution

Management and Appointments

Management

Single headed equality body (led by director or ombudsman/commissioner)

The Greek Ombudsman is supported by 6 Deputy Ombudsmen who head the following departments:

Department of Human Rights;
Department of Health and Social Welfare;
Department of the Quality of Life (environment, urban planning, land use, public works, etc.);
Department of State-Citizen Relations (quality of services provided, maladministration),
Department of Children’s Rights;
Department of Equal Treatment.

Regional or Local offices

This institution does not have regional officies.

Accountability

National Parliament