A broad package of policies aimed at supporting families, strengthening women’s participation in the labor market and protecting victims of violence was presented by Deputy Minister for Social Cohesion and Family Elena Raptis during an interview with SKAI on Thursday morning.
At the center of the discussion was the “Neighborhood Nannies” program, alongside the government’s new Equality Label for businesses, the national support network for women experiencing violence, the Panic Button initiative and policies linked to Greece’s demographic challenge.
€500 monthly support — grandparents can also participate
Raptis said the “Neighborhood Nannies” scheme has been warmly received by young parents and serves a dual purpose: helping mothers return to work after having a child while creating insured, paid employment for caregivers.
The program covers children from two months to two-and-a-half years old and provides €500 per month for full-time care or €300 for part-time care.
Importantly, families can select a relative — including a grandmother or grandfather — as the caregiver, provided they meet the program’s requirements.
“It is a reward, a recognition of this contribution. They too can receive the payment,” Raptis said.
A registered caregiver can look after up to three children simultaneously, potentially increasing their income.
6,173 eligible mothers — target of around 4,500 agreements
According to figures presented by the deputy minister, 3,273 caregivers have been approved, while 6,173 mothers have been deemed eligible.
So far, 1,761 agreements have been signed, with the government aiming to reach approximately 4,500.
Caregivers must undergo a certification process that includes educational requirements, online training, infant first-aid certification, medical documentation and criminal-record checks.
Raptis argued that the safeguards are necessary because of the responsibility involved in caring for very young children.
A new Equality Label for Greek businesses
The deputy minister also focused on the government’s Equality Label, designed to recognize businesses that implement meaningful equality policies rather than simply making commitments on paper.
Companies will be assessed on equal treatment, equal pay for work of equal value, women’s recruitment and career progression, work-life balance and policies to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace.
“Businesses now understand diversity and equal treatment as a source of strength rather than an obstacle,” Raptis said.
She argued that companies adopting such policies can strengthen their corporate profile, prevent workplace harassment and become more attractive to skilled employees.
The initiative covers SMEs employing between 11 and 250 people as well as larger companies with more than 250 employees.
15900: A national safety network for women facing violence
A major part of the interview focused on women experiencing domestic and gender-based violence.
Raptis highlighted the 15900 telephone helpline, through which women can receive immediate guidance from specialized professionals.
The support system also includes 47 counseling centers and 20 shelters across Greece.
Women who need to leave a dangerous environment urgently can be transferred with their children to temporary safe accommodation before entering the shelter network.
Support extends beyond emergency protection. Victims can receive psychological counseling, assistance in returning to employment and legal support.
Through the Legal Aid program, legal costs can also be covered so that a woman’s financial circumstances do not prevent her from seeking justice.
Panic Button and early identification of high-risk cases
Raptis also described the role of the Panic Button, which can trigger rapid police intervention when a woman faces an immediate threat.
Professionals working within the support network can assess the level of danger, with the woman’s consent, by examining factors such as death threats, physical injuries, whether the perpetrator possesses a weapon, substance abuse and threats against children.
“The objective is to ensure immediate intervention and prevent the worst from happening,” she said.
The broader strategy is to identify potentially escalating violence before another attack occurs rather than relying solely on intervention after the event.
Warning over drink spiking and sexual assault
The deputy minister also discussed the campaign against substances used to incapacitate victims before sexual assault.
Raptis stressed that these substances can suppress the central nervous system, leaving victims unable to defend themselves or clearly remember what happened.
“This is not simply a case of someone tampering with a drink. My consent has been violated — my right to decide over my own actions has been violated,” she said.
She urged women who suddenly experience suspicious symptoms while socializing to seek immediate assistance from trusted people or venue staff and avoid leaving with someone they do not know.
Protecting children: The “Underwear Rule”
Raptis also returned to the long-running “One in Five” campaign against child sexual abuse, which she has been involved with since 2013.
A central element is the so-called “Underwear Rule,” designed to teach young children in simple terms that other people should not touch areas of their body normally covered by underwear.
The policy focuses particularly on younger children because perpetrators can often be people within a child’s familiar environment — individuals whom the child already knows and trusts.
Demographics and fertility: “It is an illusion that we can have children at any time”
The interview concluded with Greece’s demographic challenge and the importance of reproductive planning.
Raptis highlighted the value of women learning about their ovarian reserve at a younger age through anti-Müllerian hormone testing and discussed egg freezing as an option for women who postpone motherhood.
She warned that professional and personal plans can lead women to assume fertility will remain unchanged indefinitely.
“That is not true; it is an illusion. We need to preserve our genetic material early so that we can have the possibility of having a child at an older age,” Raptis said.
She also argued for greater support for women seeking egg freezing for social reasons, bringing reproductive health and fertility preservation directly into the wider debate over Greece’s demographic future.
Source: pagenews.gr