Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addresses International Women’s Day, highlighting the progress Greece has made in recent years regarding gender equality, as well as the challenges that remain.

The Prime Minister emphasizes policies supporting employment and motherhood, measures to increase women’s participation in the economy and entrepreneurship, and initiatives to prevent and address gender-based violence, underlining that equality is both a social obligation and a prerequisite for collective prosperity.

Equality should become a daily lived reality, says Mr. Mitsotakis, among other points.

Mr. Mitsotakis’ post

International Women’s Day is, every year, a moment to reflect on our achievements with the goal of making equality a daily experience. Overcoming the many visible and invisible obstacles that still exist. Creating opportunities at work and strengthening women’s participation in decision-making. Supporting every choice within the family and showing zero tolerance for gender-based violence. And recognizing equality not only as a social imperative but also as a lever for collective prosperity.

Since 2019, our country has indeed made significant progress in this area: Today, women’s unemployment has been halved and their employment has increased by 10 percentage points. Mothers now receive a birth allowance of up to €3,500, with nine months of leave in both the public and private sectors. There are tax reliefs for each child, including exemptions from imputed income, and an increasing number of spots in nurseries and Creative Activity Centers.

At the same time, we encourage women entrepreneurs and work to eliminate discrimination in all fields. Tens of thousands of public officials and company executives are being trained on diversity issues. With the establishment of the special “Equality Label,” we reward companies that implement equal treatment, equal opportunities, work-life balance measures, and anti-harassment provisions.

We also invest in prevention with free screenings for breast and cervical cancer—initiatives that save lives. And, of course, we stand by the most vulnerable women, providing a strong safety net for victims of violence: with 67 structures nationwide, the National SOS Line 15900, which received 6,700 calls in 2025 alone, 63 Police Domestic Violence Offices, and the Panic Button, now installed each year on the phones of around 5,000 women.

These are actions that respond to the challenges Greek women still face on many levels. They are also a measure of the need to continue with even greater intensity. While Greece in 2026 may be among just 14 countries in the world guaranteeing absolute legal equality, steadily rising in international equality indices, these victories are not enough. On the contrary, they serve as motivation to win the battle, with steps for women that must become leaps.

Happy Women’s Day, then, to women and beyond. Because their cause concerns us all!