Promoting Women’s Rights in Immigrant Populations: NGOs’ Best Practices for Muslim Women in Athens

Artinopoulou Vasso and Michael Iro

Abstract
Working for the promotion of women‟s rights is based on the “Beijing Platform
for Action.” Research and prevention policies against women‟s discrimination
as well as confronting the violence against women are generally recommended,
but there are also specific cultural issues that affect the outcomes of NGOs‟
interventions for female immigrants. This paper is focused on NGOs‟ actions to
support immigrant women in Athens, Greece and researches culture in the
promotion of gender equality, with special attention given to the needs of
Muslim women. A qualitative research based on select NGOs‟ programs is
presented and discussed in order to determine criteria for best practices.
Interviews with programs‟ stakeholders also refer to practices‟ efficiency as well
as to particular obstacles determined by cultural issues. Intercultural mediation
as a practice for dealing with conflict and to maximize understanding and
empowerment of women immigrants is also addressed.

Keywords: NGOs for immigrants, Migration, Gender, Muslim women, cultural
competency, Greece