Violence and crimes against womenfeminism and neo-feminism, the social position of women, stereotypes about the role of men and gender relations – these are the topics that today, as part of the course of the Modern Greek language and literature, about 75,000 high school graduates who started them were to develop National exams for a place in higher education.

Obviously, the topics were related to current events, cases of violence against women and femicide. Issues were not easily resolved., for well prepared students. According to responsible employees of the Ministry of Education, who spoke with “K”, subjects were given on time to all schools and there were no problems.

“There is no longer and more perverted subjugation of people in the history of mankind than that experienced by women by men. Since Aristotle, there have been countless great spirits who denied their human value. Until the 20th century, with few exceptions, all discussions of equality took it for granted that it did not include women. The perception of them as inferior beings, created for to serve the reproduction of the world of menled to such mistreatment, violence and exploitation that no other group of people (neither blacks, nor the working class, no one) has suffered so much. In many parts of the world, even today, severe violence against women is a daily practice. In our society, cruelty is illegal. However, the phenomena of rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment and various other insults against women are far from uncommon. I know the set days of memory don’t care. However, today, on the day against violence against women, we cannot help but reflect with guilt on the greatest injustice that has existed in the world, sympathize with the countless female victims and try to imagine justice, ”is the text of the late Athens School of Law Professor Stavros Tsakirakis, from his book Justice: The Essence of Politics(Metaihmio publications, 2019), which was awarded to the candidates.

The writer and candidate of comparative literature studies Belinda Canon, the journalist of Vima and the journalist Marilia Papathanasiou also talked to the candidates. “In the twenty-first century, the struggle for gender equality takes on new dimensions. “Neofeminism”, “toxic masculinity”, “patriarchy”, “gender identity” are terms that figure prominently in public debates about gender equality. For Belinda Cannon, neo-feminism leads to conflict between men and women, which is a catastrophic fact.

Finally, the candidates received an excerpt from his story. “Terrible Consolation” by Christos Economos “Daughters of the Volcano”, stories, Polis publishing house, 2017). “Three weeks ago I was fired from my job, and now the drops hit the windshield like paratroopers whose parachute gave them away. Friday, noon, demonstration in the Propylaea, the university is closed. Stuck at the traffic lights of Attica, I looked at the people on the sidewalks and other cars and wondered how the week had already passed and how the next one would go if I managed to look like a man at least from Monday and tell Adriana the truth – but now this is a woman’s name? – to look like a man, stop hiding, sit her in front of me, look into her eyes and tell her this and that. Because it’s been three weeks since I was fired from work and I’m still hiding, I’ve been leaving the house every morning normally for three weeks, but I don’t go to work, because I don’t have a job anymore, I just drive Micra for hours Athens to others and even further – Lavrio, Perama, Rafina – and I, of course, know that this cannot go on for long. What kind of man is this who hides from his wife, lies to her, refuses to face the truth, say what’s done is done, and move on, not to mention that this story is not at all interesting, because I already spent a lot money for gasoline. I looked at the people around me and the red lights of the cars flashing in front of me, and I could hear the traffic police whistles and the screams of the demonstration in the background. Real men, real men, don’t dwell on the past, they don’t dwell on the past. Real men have a short memory and long legs, forget and run, forget and run forward. Real men go forward, not in circles. Real men are practical, have a square mind and a triangular heart. Real men think practical, react practical, hurt practically. Real men are practical, ”says an excerpt from the story.

In the context of the Report, candidates were invited, using the above texts, on the occasion of International Human Rights Day – and under the condition that they represent their student community and give a speech at the Spiritual Center of the municipality of their region – to report on the phenomena of violation of women’s rights in the modern era in private and public life, and give an informed answer as to whether they, as a new generation, can practically contribute to the achievement of gender equality.

Although the topics discussed are relevant and related to those that candidates work on during training, the first comments are that good study and a breadth of knowledge are necessary for “excellence”. As teachers Violetta Koskina – Zeta Kakuri from the tutoring school “Theoretical Education” commented to “K”, “this is a worthy choice, prompted by current events (associated with a high percentage of femicides in our country). The texts are written tightly, but understandable to students. Clearly stated observations cover the scope of the theory. The artistic text is directly related to the thematic unit, lends itself to its processing. Finally, the topic of the report with clear questions gives students the opportunity to empirically express their opinion.