Institutions and gender empowerment in greece

Introduction:
The Hellenic Republic (Greece) is a multiparty parliamentary democracy and a member of the European Union which has influenced standards for women’s rights. Greece’s 1975 Constitution reflects the principles on equality found in the UN International Convention on eliminating discrimination against women (Act1342/83) and in the European Social Charter (Act1426/84). Indeed, international regimes are a notable force in favour of Greek women’s empowerment. Gaining the right to vote in 1952 – after three decades of struggle by women’s emancipation groups within Greece - is a case in point. Having become a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Women’s Political Rights of 1951, the Greek government introduced a Bill to parliament the following year giving full political rights to women. The Bill was passed and women first voted in the national election of 1956. Since then, Greece has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women as well as other relevant treaties.