Formal Complaint Regarding Systemic Gender Bias in European and Greek Institutions

By Vangelis Xanthakis On Μάι 23, 2025

Dear Representatives of the European Parliament, European Commission, and Related Institutions,

We are submitting this formal complaint to denounce the long-standing and systemic gender bias present in European and national bodies with regard to gender equality policies. Despite the rhetoric of ‘equality,’ institutional efforts are disproportionately focused on women and girls, while men and boys face severe and growing challenges that remain unaddressed and institutionally invisible.

European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

The narrative of “empowering women and girls” has, unfortunately, evolved into an ideological absolute—promoted regardless of social context, actual data, or the real needs of society. This policy, often labeled as “progressive,” systematically ignores and marginalizes serious challenges faced by boys and men across multiple areas:

Education: Boys drop out of school at significantly higher rates than girls in most EU countries (Eurostat, 2022). Despite clear data, there are no targeted policies for support or prevention.

Health & Suicide: Men are nearly three times more likely to die by suicide compared to women across Europe (WHO, 2021). Their mental health is systematically neglected, and societal norms discourage them from seeking help.

Family and Fatherhood: “Gender equality” policies often exclude equal recognition of fatherhood in child-rearing. Men are still treated by law primarily as “supporting parents” rather than equal caregivers.

Legal Rights and Protection: In many states, domestic violence laws fail to meaningfully protect male victims, and abuse by women against men is inadequately recognized or addressed.

EIGE as a Symbol of Institutional Bias

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), originally established to promote true gender equality, has instead become an instrument of ideological bias and selective politics. Its work focuses almost exclusively on women and girls, advancing narratives of “systemic oppression” without sufficient empirical grounding or balanced scientific analysis.

For example:

EIGE’s reports and statistical publications systematically exclude the challenges faced by boys and men.
There are no initiatives for men’s mental health or for preventing social isolation among male populations.
There is zero recognition of the harms caused by stereotypical models of “toxic masculinity,” which are exacerbated by the institutional silence.

EIGE has thus transformed into a case study of institutional misandry, portraying men either as “perpetrators of violence” or as “privileged” individuals undeserving of social support.

KETHI (Greek Research Centre for Gender Equality)

KETHI, established as a publicly funded institution to conduct gender-related research and promote equality, has in practice demonstrated a glaring omission: it has not published any significant research addressing men’s mental health, fatherhood, or the experiences of male victims of violence in over a decade [4]. This absence is not incidental but reflects an ideological narrowing that undermines the holistic approach its mandate ostensibly supports.

The consequences of this institutional blind spot are profound. For instance, men suffer disproportionately from mental health issues, including depression and suicide, yet KETHI’s research agenda neglects these critical areas. Similarly, paternity issues such as fathers’ rights, shared custody, and the role of men in caregiving remain understudied and unsupported by targeted policies. Male victims of domestic and sexual violence also face systemic invisibility, with KETHI producing no substantial reports or advocacy efforts to highlight their plight.

This selective focus not only distorts public understanding of gender issues but also risks perpetuating gender inequalities by ignoring half the population’s experiences. Given that KETHI is financed by Greek taxpayers of all genders, this institutional bias raises serious ethical and democratic questions about accountability and inclusiveness.

Greek Ombudsman

The Greek Ombudsman, tasked with safeguarding citizens’ rights and addressing complaints against public authorities, has similarly failed to confront the systemic disadvantages faced by men. Particularly in family law, the Ombudsman has not adequately advocated for men’s rights in divorce, child custody, and access to parenting.

Statistical evidence reveals that men frequently face bias in custody decisions, often being assigned secondary or no custodial rights despite their active parenting roles [5]. Furthermore, workplace discrimination against men in certain fields or contexts remains underreported and unaddressed. The Ombudsman’s silence on these issues perpetuates social and legal injustices, leaving men vulnerable without recourse.

Moreover, men encountering discriminatory practices by police or the judiciary—such as unfair treatment during domestic violence allegations—receive little to no support or recognition from the Ombudsman. This institutional neglect reflects a broader societal invisibility of men’s rights concerns.

Ministry of Family

The Ministry of Family in Greece predominantly focuses on policies related to motherhood, child welfare, and women’s social services, often neglecting the role of fathers and men as caregivers. This narrow conceptualization equates “family” almost exclusively with “motherhood,” marginalizing paternal contributions and men’s caregiving potential.

For example, government programs frequently target single mothers or women in vulnerable social positions, but rarely do they include fathers in parental leave policies, support for male caregivers, or initiatives that encourage shared parenting responsibilities. This approach fails to promote truly equitable family dynamics and reinforces gender stereotypes, limiting men’s active participation in family life.

The absence of policies supporting men’s caregiving roles also impacts child development, as research consistently shows that involved fatherhood benefits children’s emotional and social well-being. By not fostering this, the Ministry perpetuates outdated gender norms detrimental to society as a whole.

Ministry of Education and Institute of Educational Policy (IEP)

The Ministry of Education, along with the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP), plays a crucial role in shaping educational frameworks and curricula across Greece. However, both institutions exhibit significant gaps in addressing the distinct educational challenges faced by boys and young men. Despite statistical evidence indicating that boys have higher school dropout rates and lower academic performance compared to girls across many subjects (Eurostat, 2022), there is a lack of targeted policies or programs aimed at supporting male students. The Ministry’s current gender equality initiatives tend to focus predominantly on preventing discrimination against girls and promoting female participation in STEM fields, often neglecting the systemic issues contributing to boys’ educational underachievement. Similarly, the IEP’s curriculum development and pedagogical guidelines rarely incorporate strategies tailored to boys’ learning styles or socio-emotional needs, which research suggests can differ significantly from those of girls. This one-sided approach not only risks reinforcing educational disparities but also perpetuates stereotypes about gender and learning ability, ultimately disadvantaging boys and young men and failing to create an inclusive educational environment for all genders.

Ministry of Citizen Protection

The Ministry of Citizen Protection, which oversees the police and public safety, demonstrates a critical bias in how it handles cases involving domestic violence. Men are largely invisible as potential victims within police protocols and public discourse. Often, when men report abuse, they are met with skepticism or outright suspicion, rather than support.

In many cases, fathers who are accused—sometimes without sufficient evidence—are subject to emergency removal from their homes pending investigation [6]. This practice, while intended to protect potential victims, frequently disregards due process and reinforces gendered assumptions that men are perpetrators by default.

Such systemic prejudices not only violate men’s legal rights but also discourage male victims from coming forward, thus perpetuating cycles of unreported abuse and suffering. The Ministry’s failure to establish victim-sensitive, gender-neutral procedures further entrenches institutional bias.

Ministry of Justice

Custody outcomes in Greece starkly illustrate judicial gender bias: over 92% of parental custody awards go to mothers, often irrespective of the fathers’ involvement, capabilities, or merit [5]. This disproportionality reflects deep-rooted cultural and institutional presumptions that equate caregiving primarily with women.

Moreover, the Ministry’s handling of domestic violence allegations frequently results in the automatic removal of fathers from the family home without preliminary investigation. This “guilty until proven innocent” stance is problematic on legal and human rights grounds and reinforces harmful stereotypes of men as violent aggressors by nature.

The cumulative effect of such policies is the marginalization of fathers in family life and legal processes, which undermines the principles of fairness, shared responsibility, and the best interests of children.

Discussion

The systemic omission of men’s and boys’ issues across Greek institutions—from KETHI to the Ministries of Family, Justice, and Citizen Protection—exemplifies an institutionalized gender bias that undermines true equality. This bias is ideologically driven, frequently justified by appealing to historical inequalities women have faced, yet it risks creating a new form of gender injustice by ignoring the distinct and pressing challenges men face.

Ignoring men’s higher dropout rates, elevated suicide rates, lack of legal protection in family law, and invisibility as victims of violence perpetuates harmful stereotypes, diminishes social cohesion, and weakens the fabric of gender equality itself. A truly progressive policy framework should be intersectional and inclusive—addressing vulnerabilities and discrimination regardless of gender.

This requires:

Balanced Research and Funding: Institutions like KETHI must expand their research scope to include men’s issues systematically, ensuring evidence-based policy-making that serves all genders.
Reform of Legal and Administrative Practices: The Ombudsman, Ministries, and judicial bodies should adopt gender-neutral policies and procedures, guaranteeing fair treatment and protection for all citizens.
Public Awareness and Education: Societal norms regarding masculinity and fatherhood need to be challenged through education, media, and community programs, fostering a culture that values men’s caregiving and emotional expression.
Support Services for Male Victims: Dedicated resources for male victims of domestic abuse and violence must be established and adequately funded.

Without addressing these gaps, European and Greek institutions risk perpetuating a divisive and incomplete approach to gender equality, ultimately harming society as a whole.

synopsis:

Systemic Gender Bias in EU and Greek Institutions – A Call for Equal Representation

Despite declarations of promoting “gender equality”, both EU and Greek institutions have adopted a one-sided approach focused exclusively on the rights and needs of women and girls. This ideological imbalance:

Ignores male mental health crises and high suicide rates
Overlooks boys’ underachievement in education
Neglects fatherhood and male roles in family life
Assumes men are default perpetrators in domestic violence cases

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), instead of promoting equal policies, has become a symbol of institutional misandry and gender discrimination against men.

In Greece, this same systemic bias is found in:

KETHI, which ignores male-specific gender issues.
Ombudsman, which fails to protect men’s rights in family and legal matters.
Ministry of Family Affairs, where fatherhood is marginalized.
Ministry of Citizen Protection, which excludes male victims from support systems.
Ministry of Justice, which perpetuates gender-biased legal outcomes, particularly in custody and domestic violence cases.

References

[1] World Health Organization (2021). Suicide Worldwide in 2021: Global Health Estimates.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240026643

[2] Eurostat (2022). Early leavers from education and training.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/EDAT_LFSE_14__custom_7234485

[3] European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). Annual Reports 2018–2023.
https://eige.europa.eu/publications

[4] ΚΕΘΙ – Κέντρο Ερευνών για Θέματα Ισότητας. Δημοσιευμένες Μελέτες 2012–2023.
https://www.kethi.gr/el/publications

[5] Δικηγορικός Σύλλογος Αθηνών / Ένωση Οικογενειακού Δικαίου (2020). Στατιστική Αποτύπωση Επιμέλειας Παιδιών Μετά το Διαζύγιο.
(μη δημοσιευμένο online – στοιχεία διαθέσιμα από νομικούς συλλόγους)

[6] Διοικητική Επισκόπηση της ΕΛ.ΑΣ. και Εισαγγελικών Διατάξεων (2021–2023) – Ανάλυση Αυτομάτως Εκτελούμενων Εντολών Απομάκρυνσης σε Καταγγελίες Βίας χωρίς Δικαστική Απόφαση.
(πηγή: στοιχεία από ΑΔΑ / ΔΣΑ)

[7] European Men’s Health Forum (2020). The State of Men’s Health in Europe.
https://emhf.org

[8] Warren Farrell, PhD. The Boy Crisis. BenBella Books, 2018.

[9] MacDonald, H. (2018). The War on Men. Encounter Books.

[10] Jordan B. Peterson (2018). 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. Penguin Random House.