I.
Introduction
Racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual orientation-
based discrimination and violence are critical concerns of the world today,
affecting millions of people. Throughout history, groups have
been marginalized and stigmatized for being
different and faced injustices such as slavery, and ethnic cleansing. Hate crimes,
and institutionalized discrimination remain a
threat to groups and destroy social ease today. While many nations
have established legislation to protect vulnerable groups, there continue to
be challenges. The United States, for example, has laws against civil
rights, and Germany has tough hate speech legislation. South Africa struggled to
overcome the apartheid history, but xenophobia and racism exist. Nonetheless,
not all countries have strong anti-discrimination legislations, and some
even maintain policies aimed against minorities. The biggest challenge for
the world community is to create legislation that is efficient and can be used
in different legal and cultural environments.
Greece supports universal human rights and is a strong advocate of international e
fforts towards greater equality and justice.
II. International Community’s Actions
Previous years have seen the international community attempt to combat
discrimination using legislation and sensitization. The United Nations (UN)
has been leading the way in addressing these issues, starting with the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948), which focuses on the equality of all
individuals. The other key treaties include the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD. The United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) continues to combat discrimination everywhere in the world. The
European Union (EU) has gone a long way in combating discrimination
through directives such as the Race Equality Directive (2000/43/EC) and the
Framework Decision on Combating Racism and Xenophobia (2008).
These treaties bind EU states to implement effective legal protection against
discrimination. Additionally, organizations like the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe also work
to keep governments involved in maintaining minority rights. Regional bodies such
as the African Union (AU) and Organization of American States (OAS) have
also framed policies to overcome this problem Non-
governmental organisations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International,
and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) also play a vital role
in terms of creating awareness, assisting victims, and pressurizing governments to
act. International conferences like the Durban Conference Against Racism (2001)
and the World Conference on Human Rights (1993) also offered platforms for
discussion. While these endeavors had positive impacts, inadequate
measurements remains to be one of the significant hurdles in the majority
of countries.
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Greece is committed to combating discrimination and
has adopted concrete political and legal steps for the protection of all persons.
The Constitution of Greece (Article 5) establishes equal rights for all individuals,
regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Greece has passed
significant legislation throughout the years to ban discrimination and hate crimes.
Law 927/1979 was a first step towards limiting racial discrimination, and it was
further strengthened by Law 3304/2005, harmonized with EU anti-discrimination
policies. Law
4285/2014 also increased sanctions for insulting conduct and violent acts against
vulnerable groupsç
Internationally, Greece has signed major conventions like the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and
the European Convention on Human Rights
(ECHR). Greece is a participating member of the United Nations Human Rights
Council (UNHRC) and has actively supported resolutions against racism and
religious intolerance. Greece also actively collaborates with EUROPOL and
INTERPOL to combat cross-border hate crimes and offer an inclusive environment.
Within the European Union, Greece is a dynamic member of EU agencies like the
EU High-Level Group on Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Other Forms of
Intolerance which promotes policy coordination among the EU member states.
Greece also organizes international human rights conferences to ensure a society
where people of any race and religion can feel free and safe. Though there are
still challenges to overcome, including the fight against online hate speech
and the further integration of refugees and minorities,
Greece is making progress in its policies
and in its strong response to discrimination and violence against minorities.
To better respond to violence and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion,
and sexual orientation, Greece believes that there has to be stronger
legal systems and multilateralism. First and foremost, states must have well-
defined and enforceable legislation. Greece supports the drafting of a UN
Convention on Hate Crimes and
Discrimination, where states would be obliging themselves to enact vigorous legal
protection against discrimination. A UN model law may also be drafted to
help states develop effective anti-discrimination laws.
Secondly, police and other law enforcement units need to be trained and equipped
more effectively. Greece insists that specialized hate crime
units in police departments around the globe must be established in
order to adequately investigate and impede hate crimes.
Thirdly, education and awareness campaigns must be stepped up.
Greece advocates for the inclusion of anti-discrimination
education in school curricula to create a culture of tolerance and respect from a
young age. In addition, better partnerships with social media
companies must be established to tackle discrimination and especially online hate
speech. Lastly, social media is also useful in preventing the spread
of dangerous ideologies.
Fourth, victim support systems need to be strengthened. Greece
recommends the implementation of anonymous reporting mechanisms for victims
of hate crimes and increased funding for legal aid and mental health services
programs. Specific focus needs to be placed on refugees and asylum seekers,
who are often targeted with extreme discrimination.
Finally, international cooperation must be stepped up.
Greece recommends the institution of a UN Special Rapporteur on Hate Crimes
and Discrimination who would oversee global efforts to combat hate crimes
and make recommendations.
Additionally, boosting regional cooperation would prevent perpetrators of hate cri
mes from escaping justice by crossing the border.
The Hellenic Republic is steadfastly committed to advancing equality, justice, and
human dignity. Greece calls on the UN General Assembly's Legal Committee
to make serious efforts in adopting a resolution
that enhances international legal safeguards against discrimination and hate
crimes. Together, the international community can create a future
where everyone, no matter their identity, can live in safety and with dignity.
