Gender-Sensitive ODR (GS-ODR): startADR presents it for the first time in Greece (30-07-2026)

We are waiting for you to co-shape the dialogue.

The Gender-Sensitive Online Dispute Resolution (GS-ODR) constitutes a new field of reflection and international scientific dialogue. The aim of the webinar is not only to present the basic principles of this approach, but also to exchange views, experiences and suggestions on how we can shape a more fair, accessible and inclusive digital dispute resolution system.

We invite you to actively participate in the discussion, share your concerns and ideas, and contribute with your proposals to the formation of a new policy framework for consumer protection in the digital age.

New challenges for consumer protection in the digital age

The digital economy has now radically changed the way we buy products, use services and interact with businesses and digital platforms. It is a fact that online stores, marketplaces, social media, applications, artificial intelligence and algorithmic suggestions shape our consumer choices every day.

This digital transition, however, also creates new forms of risks. In fact, consumers do not all experience the digital environment in the same way and with the same intensity. Thus, characteristics such as age, digital literacy, economic status, and even gender can influence the way in which a consumer is exposed to deceptive practices, dark design patterns, online fraud, aggressive targeted marketing or difficulties in exercising their rights.

It is precisely this new reality that formed the basis of the recent Policy Paper submitted by startADR to the UNCTAD Informal Working Group on Consumer Protection and Gender, entitled:

“Rethinking Consumer Protection in the Digital Age: Towards Gender-Sensitive Online Dispute Resolution (GS-ODR)”.

Why participate?

• Why the digital mediation is already here and those who understand it first will find themselves at the forefront of developments in out-of-court dispute resolution.
• Why you can become the first professionals in Greece and Europe with a role at the center of digital justice.
• Because in just one hour, you will learn how can you participate in one innovative training program, the ODS Facilitator Training, which connects law, technology and out-of-court dispute resolution.
• And, finally, why this knowledge can be the next step in your professional development in and outside Greece.
  
  

What is Gender-Sensitive Online Dispute Resolution (GS-ODR)?;

GS-ODR is a new approach to online dispute resolution, which does not propose different rights for different groups of consumers, but instead seeks to design online dispute resolution procedures in a way that takes into account the real difficulties faced by different categories of users in accessing justice.

Simply put, online dispute resolution should provide for:

• more accessible procedures,
• understandable communication,
• friendly digital tools,
• greater transparency in the use of artificial intelligence,
• effective support for vulnerable consumers,
• equal opportunities for access to out-of-court dispute resolution.

This is, in essence, a concept that aspires to be the subject of international scientific and institutional dialogue in the coming years.

Why does it concern all of us?;

Consumer protection is not limited to the institutionalization of rights, but on the contrary, it is equally important to have effective mechanisms that allow citizens to exercise these rights in practice. As more and more transactions are carried out exclusively through digital platforms, online dispute resolution (ODR) is gradually becoming a key tool for access to justice.

In fact, the discussion takes on even greater importance after the implementation of Digital Services Act (DSA), which introduces new out-of-court dispute resolution mechanisms for major digital platforms and creates a completely new ecosystem of digital dispute resolution.

The first Greek webinar on GS-ODR from startADR

As part of this international initiative, startADR is organizing the first informative webinar in Greece on the topic: Gender-Sensitive ODR (GS-ODR).

During the webinar, the following will be discussed, among other things:

✔ The new reality of digital consumer protection.
✔ The challenges created by digital platforms and artificial intelligence.
✔ The concept of Gender-Sensitive Online Dispute Resolution.
✔ The role of online dispute resolution (ODR) in the modern digital economy.
✔ The developments brought about by the Digital Services Act.
✔ The prospects for Greece and the European Union

Who is it addressed to?

The webinar is particularly aimed at:

• Lawyers
• Mediators
• Referees
• ADR bodies
• Public authorities
• Researchers
• Academics
• Business executives
• Compliance officers
• Consumer associations
• Professional and commercial entities
• Consumers
• Businesses and merchants
• Law and Economics students
• Anyone interested in digital consumer protection.
  

startADR and the international initiative

The webinar is part of startADR's international initiative to promote the concept of Gender-Sensitive Online Dispute Resolution (GS-ODR), as presented in the organization's Policy Contribution to the UNCTAD Informal Working Group on Consumer Protection and Gender. This specific startADR initiative includes two awareness-raising actions during 2026, namely, a national webinar in Greek and an international webinar in English, aiming to strengthen the dialogue around the future of digital consumer protection and access to justice.

Your participation and your voice can be part of this international effort. We look forward to seeing you!

Register for the Free Webinar