Social Rights

From May to November 2020, Greece is assuming the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In the emergency time imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the main theme of the Greek Chairmanship is the “protection of human life and public health in the context of a pandemic or how to effectively respond to a sanitary crisis in full respect for human rights and the principles of democracy and the rule of law”. The European Social Charter protects the right to health of each and every European citizen. The European Committee of Social Rights took the lead and adopted a statement of interpretation on the right to protection of health (Article 11 of the European Social Charter) in times of pandemic, endorsing many measures adopted by states in response to Covid-19 (testing and tracing, physical distancing and other protection measures). The Committee underlined that such measures must be designed and implemented having regard to the current state of scientific knowledge, as well as the need for adequate public health provision and resourcing, including for research, vaccine development and prevention.

Moreover, the Greek chairmanship foresees a number of events relating to social rights of children (with a focus on children at risk of poverty, children victims of violence, trafficking, forced labour and unaccompanied migrant children), the rights of Roma, a discussion on the Social Agenda of the Council of Europe during the next World Forum for Democracy.

The Greek Chairmanship, conscious of the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic may continue to affect the working methods of the Council of Europe during the months to come and well within its mandate, stands ready to conduct an extended part of its scheduled events digitally (E-Chairmanship).