About Margarita Papandreou
Article by Anna Karamanou
Published in the newspaper “Ta NEA”, 29/9/2021
The 98th birthday of Margarita Papandreou on September 30, 2021, prompts a brief review of her highly discussed political and feminist activism in post-dictatorship Greece. Without a doubt, she was one of the leading figures in the fight for women’s rights and gender justice during the post-junta period. In 1976, she founded the Union of Greek Women (EGY), sharing with Greek women the vision of a modern homeland with freedom, equality, and solidarity. Collective work and shared struggles forged strong bonds across Greece and created unforgettable memories, such as when we protested with her outside Parliament for the decriminalization of abortion in 1986. As she stated back then (Eleftheros Typos, 8/2/1985), “For me, it is more important for the Prime Minister and the government to understand that the decriminalization of abortion is not the desire of Margarita Papandreou, but the demand of all women in Greece.”
The changes promoted in the 1980s bear her signature. A passionate feminist and intellectual, she worked methodically and effectively to ensure that the demands of the feminist movement became a priority in government policy. She led the ratification of international conventions, as well as the drafting and promotion of Civil and Criminal Law reforms, which improved the legal and social status of women and brought Greece closer to European standards. The Family Law 1329/1983 was considered the most progressive in Europe. The decriminalization of adultery (Law 1272/1982) abolished degrading procedures that undermined human dignity. Rape was criminalized in 1984, except for rape within marriage, a loophole that was removed in 2008.
In July 1985, the General Secretariat for Gender Equality (GSGE) was established, with the late Sou Laiou-Antoniou appointed as its first Secretary General. Decentralized structures were created, including Regional Committees and Equality Offices, through which women’s demands were brought to the government. In 1982, the first female regional governors and the first female general secretaries were appointed.
It is understandable that without the pressure and activism of women’s organizations, both inside and outside political parties, as well as the persuasion and influence exerted on the government by Margarita Papandreou as president of the largest feminist organization, there would not have been such a significant production of government work by PASOK or such an extensive Europeanization of gender equality policies.
Margarita Papandreou’s activism was not confined to national borders. She participated in global movements, delivering speeches and making powerful political interventions across the world. In Nairobi in 1985, at the UN World Conference for the Decade of Women, amid the Cold War, her historic speech established her as a global leader of the feminist and peace movement. She spoke about international issues, gender equality, and the need for peaceful coexistence among people. She addressed Cyprus, Palestine, racist violence in South Africa, militarism and patriarchy, poverty, and violence against women. She called on the UN to create structures and meetings for women from opposing sides to resolve conflicts. She actively participated in the international organization “Women for an Effective Summit” following the failure of the Reagan-Gorbachev meeting in Reykjavik (October 11-12, 1986) to reach an agreement on nuclear disarmament.
In 1988, Margarita Papandreou founded the Research and Action Center for Peace (KEDE), which operates as a “peace laboratory” promoting peace initiatives. One of the most significant projects was WinPeace, established after the Greek-Turkish crisis at Imia (1996), led by Margarita Papandreou, and journalist, author, and activist Zeynep Oral, with the aim of promoting Greek-Turkish dialogue, understanding, and cooperation between the two countries. The day after the crisis, Margarita sent an Open Letter to the women of Turkey, in which, among other things, she wrote:
Regardless of who is responsible for the recent incidents in the Aegean, we invite you to join us in applying pressure on our governments to avoid any provocation that could lead to armed conflict. We believe that we can coexist harmoniously while maintaining our national and cultural identities. Let us do everything possible to build a culture of peace, a barrier to militaristic chauvinism and war. …
The positive response came immediately from Zeynep Oral: “The time has come for Greek and Turkish women to work together for our common interests…”
WinPeace is an exceptional case because it is based on the feminist theory of international relations, which promotes the idea of preventive diplomacy and exposes the barriers of the “orthodoxy” of “realism,” the theory that is rooted in the law of the strongest. The peace initiatives by women, from Kallirhoe Parren to Margarita Papandreou, have demonstrated that feminist action can change the nature of “power” and enrich international politics with the idea of soft power, cooperation, and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
A very strong legacy of goodwill from Margarita Papandreou! Happy birthday, Margarita!
Anna Karamanou
PhD in Political Science from the NKUA
Former President of the FEMM Committee of the European Parliament.