Examination of Greece before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
Greece is currently being examined before the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Yesterday, Monday 2 December 2024, the GNCHR informed the members of the Committee, in a closed bilateral meeting, on the progress made with implementing the commitments undertaken by the country as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and complying with the most recent relevant recommendations of the Committee. The GNCHR was represented by Mr. Giannis Ioannidis, Vice President, Ms. Eva Tzavala, Coordinator of the Scientific Organisation Unit and Ms. Garyfallia Anastasopoulou, Assistant Coordinator of the Racist Violence Recording Network.
The intervention of the GNCHR focused on issues related to the poor implementation of the anti-discrimination legislative framework, the work of the National Council against Racism and Intolerance and the low degree of access of Roma and third country nationals to the rights granted to them under the national, EU and international framework. The lack of systematic implementation of the institutional framework on racist crime, support and protection of victims of racist violence, along with the main patterns of racist violence as revealed by the Network's data, such as the high rate of under-reporting, police racist violence and violence at the country's borders against refugees and migrants, were highlighted during the intervention of the Racist Violence Recording Network.
Subsequently, a fruitful discussion was held with the members of the UN Committee who were highly interested in the methodology and findings of the Racist Violence Recording Network and the Recording Mechanism of Informal Forced Returns.
It is noted that Tina Stavrinaki, Assistant Professor of International Law at Utrecht University, is participating in the Committee as an elected member from the 182 States Parties to the UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (for a second consecutive term). The member representing Greece is not involved in the country's evaluation work.
