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Literature / resource Imported

Participation of Women in Political Life at the Local Level in Greece: Study and Policy Advice

Greece · Strasbourg · National · See the Greece profile

This document by the explores the challenges that women elected officials and in public administration face (particularly, in positions of responsibility) in the local and regional governments in Greece. For that purpose, it engaged with elected men and women who serve as Governo

Details

Promoter
Centre of Expertise for Good Governance — website
Power domain
Political Power
Methods / tools
Gender Training, Awareness-raising, Monitoring, Benchmarking
Keywords
public administration, local power, regional power, gender mainstreaming, political life

Context

The Council of Europe's Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, with partner OPP, produced a study on the challenges facing women elected officials and women in public administration - particularly in positions of responsibility - in local and regional government in Greece.

Objectives

The study aimed to identify patterns, challenges and opportunities for women's participation in local political life, examine Greece's institutional and legal gender-mainstreaming framework, and explore how Inter-Municipal Cooperation (IMC) could support gender mainstreaming across municipal borders.

Activities

Researchers engaged with elected men and women serving as governors, mayors, and regional and municipal councillors, with male and female administrative staff in local and regional government bodies, and with representatives of relevant national institutions, alongside analysis of existing legal and institutional mechanisms.

Results

The study found persistent gender inequalities in both elected office and public-administration posts despite Greece having a strong legal and institutional gender-equality framework whose implementation could be improved. It also found uneven understanding of gender-mainstreaming among stakeholders, an absence of functioning regional and municipal gender mechanisms, and differing views between men and women on the main obstacles and solutions.

Conclusions

The study recommends strengthening political will, building capacities and resources for regional and municipal gender mechanisms, revising and disseminating gender-equality training for men and women, and running country-wide awareness campaigns, including in schools.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Low (< €50k) — Not quantified in the source.
Time to results
Short (< 1 year) — A single completed study/report rather than an ongoing programme.
Staffing & skills
Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Good Governance, OPP (partner)

Conditions for success

  • Political will
  • Capacity-building and resourcing of regional/municipal gender mechanisms
  • Cooperation among stakeholders across levels of governance

Common failure modes

  • Municipalities and regions may lack a clear vision, capacities and resources to mainstream gender in practice
  • Men and women within municipalities/regions may hold differing views on obstacles and solutions, hindering cooperation

Where it fits

Governance type
national/local government supported by an international good-governance body
Scale
national
Income level
high income (Greece/EU)

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