Diversity and inclusion are becoming increasingly important topics worldwide, and Greece is no exception. Despite being a country with a long history of cultural diversity, there are still challenges to be addressed when it comes to promoting a more inclusive society. In this article, we'll explore the current state of diversity and inclusion in Greece and look at some of the efforts being made to create a more accepting and equitable society for all.
How is Greece for minorities?
In Greece, there are varying attitudes towards minority populations. Despite its relatively small size, Greece is home to an estimated 700,000-1,000,000 individuals who identify as belonging to mixed or non-Greek ethnic groups, including both EU and non-EU nationals. Some of the minority groups present in Greece include the Roma, Muslim, Afghani, and Bangladeshi communities. Many of these individuals reside in enclaves located in central Athens.
Are there inclusion policies in Greece?
In 2019, the KEAN-Cell of Alternative Youth Activities, an organization that promotes inclusivity and supports minority groups in their fight against discrimination and racism, launched a diversity charter at Zappeion Hall in central Athens. The charter was recognized and supported by the Ministry of the Interior and many other important Greek authorities, with some of the largest employers in Greece, including OTE-Telecommunications S.A. and AB-Vassilopoulos, serving as founding members. Additionally, 150 private businesses and 50,000 employees have signed the charter. The charter focuses heavily on gender equality in the workplace, as well as on gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, age, and disabilities.
Do the Greek authorities have inclusion at heart?
Despite EU pressure, Greek authorities do not prioritize inclusion policies. However, there are signs of progress. In 2015, a significant milestone was achieved with the passing of Law 4332, which granted Greek citizenship to second-generation immigrant children (children born to immigrants who were raised in Greece). This extended rights to a number of these immigrant children and demonstrated the recognition of the Greek state towards them.
Muslims in Greece
In Greece's northeastern region of Thrace, the only recognized religious minority group is Muslims, who account for 0.2% of the population. Protected by the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, the community is concentrated in Western Thrace along the border with Turkey and includes Romani and Slavic-speaking Pomak Muslims, most with Turkish origins. While at times they campaigned for recognition of their collective Turkish identity, this led to their isolation and marginalization by the Greek government from the 1970s-80s due to fear of their aspirations and Turkish nationalism. Since the 1990s, Greek policies have aimed to ensure their rights and better representation, but unease towards this ethnic Turkish majority remains, especially when they ask for additional collective rights due to potentially nationalistic ambitions. A 2015 survey showed that 65% of Greeks held adverse opinions towards Muslims, which was further strengthened by the influx of refugees and migrants from East Africa and Syria, despite efforts to combat this xenophobia.
Migrants in Greece
Since the 1990s, Greece has received patterns of migration from Albania and Georgia at the time those fleeing Yugoslavia come to the end of the war. Between 2011-2015 Greece received an influx of migrants and refugees as a result of the conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq or those who were escaping authoritarian regimes from Eritrea and other parts of the African continent. According to Civic Nation, the overwhelming attitude towards migrants in Greece is negative (72%), although the EU and the UNHCR are assisting Greece to help them coordinate the migration and enable integration. Still, though, the migratory policy is very convoluted in Greece, and the system is designed more or less to keep people out rather than to welcome them in, as emphasized by the bureaucracy.
Black Greeks
Since the 1990s, Greece has been home to black Greeks, or Afro Greeks, a term coined by Aljazeera to refer to Africans who migrated to Greece for education and work. However, many faced discrimination and racism from the Greeks and authorities due to Greece's strict immigration policy. Despite the second generation of these migrants growing up in Greece, learning Greek, and even receiving citizenship, they still felt excluded and discriminated against because of their skin color. Racism increased during the crisis, fueled by the Golden Dawn party's blaming of immigrants for Greece's problems. The party's ban in 2020 was seen as a positive step in addressing the issue of racism and discrimination against black Greeks in Greek society.
LGBTQI Community
Greeks are mostly supportive of the LGBTQI community, yet the system and their religious identities don't help the community progress as they should. For example, high-profile members of the Orthodox Church have spoken out, condemning the community. Also, Greece still lags behind other EU states in approving same-sex marriage (this is largely due to the influence of the Orthodox Church). The only arrangement available to same-sex couples currently is a civil marriage.
The Roma population in Greece
Greece has a significant population of Roma people, who, unfortunately, have been subjected to negative attitudes and marginalization by society and authorities for many years, despite having lived in the country for centuries. This exclusion has impacted their access to housing, the Greek labor market, and basic rights. It is concerning that the Roma are the second most disliked group in Greece, with 67% of Greeks expressing negative opinions about them. Due to their limited opportunities, many Roma are forced to rely on salvaging metal and waste, which often does not provide enough income to survive, leading to desperate measures such as resorting to crime. This, in turn, perpetuates negative stereotypes and discrimination against the Roma.
Although the Greek government has taken steps to integrate the Roma community by implementing policies to improve their living conditions and provide funding for housing, education, and social support, progress has been stalled due to the economic crisis. It is crucial for all members of Greek society to recognize and address the challenges that the Roma community faces and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
Disabled people in Greece
Although Greece has a national program for people with disabilities, “Protection and Assistance for the Disabled”, the program is severely underfunded and undersupported. As a result, it fails to support the disabled population in Greece. This is particularly apparent when considering the increase in disabled refugees entering Greece who have fled Syria and other countries and who lack housing or important support in the form of rehabilitation and aid. The situation is not helped by Greece's weak economy and the Greek government, which has cut public spending towards disability schemes and access grants. The last real reform of disability access was in 2004 for the Olympics. Although the infrastructure was largely improved for those with mobility issues, this has mostly remained unchanged since then. Where Greece does see benefits to the economy is in Tourism, the sector it is most reliant on. In 2023, with 15 million in funding from the EU accessibility project, Greece's Tourism Ministry boasted that now almost 300 beaches in Greece were accessible for those with mobility issues. There is still much more to be done to make Greece more accessible to disabled people, with pavements, building entrances, and lift inclusion. This is despite the EU setting 2020 as a marker for Greece to have all the improvements in place.
Even though Greece is an EU state bound by the EU's anti-discrimination policies, disabled people still struggle in the labor market. As many as one in three are unemployed, and many others say that working is a challenge due to the layout of their workplaces and due to a lack of understanding from their coworkers. Findings from the EU Disability Strategy (2010-2020) suggested an overhaul of how Greek workplaces are orientated, a review and improvement of labor market policies aimed at disabled people in Greece, and finally, the introduction of training and vocational schemes to educate non-disabled and disabled employees.
Useful links:
Tolerance and Cultural Diversity Discourses in Greece | European Website on Integration
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