The members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee speak of a gross violation of the human rights of female permanent NCOs of the National Guard, which on Monday again discussed the issue of unequal treatment and discrimination in their work, based on gender.
During the session of the competent Committee in Parliament, the issue of women's participation rates was examined in the structure of the state, in relation to the levels of hierarchy, while the discussion focused on the issue of unequal treatment and discrimination due to gender at work, of the female permanent NCOs of the National Guard, with them asking the MPs to remedy the injustice.
These are 471 women, who were recruited as volunteers in the years 1993, 1995 and 1997, with a perennial request for their compensation for the years they were stuck in the low ranks of the National Guard.
As the women reported before the Human Rights Commission their careers have stagnated, as they have not been promoted and have not had the financial advancement they were entitled to, resulting in their pension being reduced compared to their male colleagues, which were in the same row as them.
The lawyer of the female NCOs, Giorgos Karapatakis, denounced the Ministry of Defense's attempt to shift the responsibility onto the shoulders of the female NCOs, while declaring that the women's fight will continue until the end.
«We are not going to let anyone trample these women. We will stand outside the Presidential Palace and wherever necessary to defend the universal human right that all countries enjoy. To recognize the right to non-discrimination based on gender", he said.
He expressed his regret in relation to today's position of the representative of the Legal Service, who characterized the Report of the Commissioner of Administration "as non-binding", to note that this position directly conflicts with the decision of the full plenary session of the Supreme Court.
In her statements, after the session, the President of the Human Rights Committee, Irini Charalambidou, said that the members of the Commission requested a meeting with the Minister of Defense, in order to see if he intends to find ways to adopt the recommendations of the report of the Commissioner of Administration, to redress the injustice suffered by these women.
According to Irini Charalambidou, volunteer non-commissioned officers "are victims of adverse discrimination based on their gender, while she denounced that the issue of female non-commissioned officers is a "gross violation of human rights" and a "gross violation of equality".
"The only thing the Minister of Defense has to see is how he will implement the Commissioner's Report and what it records. The members of the Commission are vertical on this issue. It cannot be that for so many decades these women have been wronged, treated differently than their male colleagues for the same offered work," he said.
He spoke of a "violation" on the part of the state of every concept of law, noting that this should not continue to be tolerated.
He also said that the intention of the Human Rights Commission is to get involved decisively and effectively, to add that the members of the Commission will also see the Commissioner of Administration, in order to investigate whether the case should proceed with a recommendation.
He emphasized that its members are committed to being next to female non-commissioned officers, in order to claim their rights.
DISY Member of Parliament, Rita Superman, stated that in the 1990s there was gender discrimination throughout the civil service, to note that such discrimination should be corrected.
"We recognize the injustice they are suffering. It's a complicated subject. There are court proceedings. Our intention is to monitor the matter," said Ms. Superman.
Η Member of Parliament of the Environmentalists Movement - Citizens' Cooperation, Alexandra Attalidou, said that women currently receive a pension of €800 while their male colleagues receive €1.800.
He noted that the specific behavior of the state "constitutes a black page for human rights", to add that "human rights cannot be violated by the state".
The MP of DIPA, Alekos Tryfonidis, said that the testimonies of the affected female non-commissioned officers were shocking, to add that "female permanent non-commissioned officers are not begging, but they are asking for the obvious and for their earnings to be recognized".
As he said, "what is being done is pure gender discrimination and a flagrant violation of human rights, which is unacceptable for our so-called civilized state in 2022" to add that his party will not accept any more obstruction to deal with the issue.
Source: KYPE
