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Reform Support

Supporting reforms to strengthen labour markets and social protection systems

Funding Programme
Year
  • 2024

Enhancing the capacity of the Coordinating Mechanism supporting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Greece

The European Commission supports the Minister of State and the General Secretariat of Coordination in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Coordinating Mechanism on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with a view to furthering the Government’s implementation of the National Strategy for the Rights of People with Disability 2024-2030.

Context

Greece is committed to improving the lives of persons with disabilities through national policies and international agreements. Following the successful implementation of the National Action Plan for the Rights of People with Disability 2020-2023, Greece will implement the National Strategy for the Rights of People with Disability 2024-2030 (the National Strategy). To deliver on such commitments and to operationalise the National Strategy across different administrative levels, Greece has instituted through Law 4488/2017 a Coordinating Mechanism on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

To date, this Coordinating Mechanism shows a number of limitations with its operating model, chief amongst which are (i) lower levels of inter-agency coordination due to institution-specific mandates, priorities and procedures across the concerned agencies and levels of administration; (ii) capacity constraints within the decentralised governance operating model pertaining to data collection, management and analysis on disability issues; and (iii) ambiguities in the legal and policy framework concerning policies targeted towards persons with disabilities.

Support Delivered

In this context, technical support will be delivered to address key governance challenges and enhance operational capacity of the Coordinating Mechanism. This support includes (i) an analysis of the current operations of the Coordination Mechanism including identification of shortcomings; (ii) the facilitation of peer learning and knowledge exchange with EU counterparts; (iii) the provision of actionable recommendations and an action plan to improve the mechanism’s operating model; and (v) the codification of disability-related legislation and the design of tailored reporting frameworks accompanied by targeted training of relevant actors to ensure effective use. It will draw on desk research and analysis of Greek legislative and policy frameworks, information gathered through consultations, surveys and interviews with stakeholders across governance levels.

Expected results

The project will equip Greek authorities with a clear assessment of the Coordinating Mechanism, tools and strategies for its enhancement and the knowledge and capacity to implement recommended improvements based on EU good practices. Ultimately, the project is expected to support the establishment of a robust governance model, enabling effective implementation of the National Strategy and fostering an inclusive, universally accessible environment in which all individuals can enjoy equal opportunities and rights.