Women of Minorities: Successful Conference on Addressing Multiple and Intersectional Forms of Inequality

The FUEN Women of Minorities project organised its second thematic conference, titled “Approaches to Addressing Multiple and Intersectional Forms of Inequality”, from 30 October to 1 November 2024 in Athens, Greece. Hosted by the FUEN member organisation Ecumenical Federation of Constantinopolitans (EFECON), this conference gathered 30 representatives from 15 European countries, representing 16 minority groups, with the aim of identifying and addressing challenges faced by women who belong to minorities.

The conference was opened by Olivia Schubert, Vice-President of FUEN, and Prof. Nicolaos Uzunouglu, President of EFECON. In addition, written greetings by Christina Agoritsa from the Greek Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family Affairs, were read to the participants. Notable speakers of the following conference included Prof. Antonija Petričušić from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, Aniko Orsos from the European Roma Rights Centre in Budapest, Hungary, Ingeborg Larssen, Advisor to the Sami Parliament in Norway, and Mihail Stojanoski, Administrator of GREVIO (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence) at the Council of Europe.

In her keynote address, Prof. Antonija Petričušić highlighted international frameworks for promoting gender equality, noting that while gender mainstreaming is a forward-looking approach, countries have yet to implement it.

The discussions of the event explored multiple dimensions of inequality, including issues of institutional discrimination, barriers to accessing essential services in rural areas, and the challenges of underrepresentation faced by young minority women in leadership roles. The participants also discussed the ongoing impact of domestic violence on minority women and women in general.

Furthermore, the event covered the role of the state in protecting the rights of minority women. Positive examples from various countries demonstrated how legal frameworks, state-backed initiatives, and awareness campaigns can empower women in minority communities, address systemic discrimination, and combat domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention was highlighted as an important tool for advancing women’s rights and protecting minority women from forced marriages and other forms of violence. A roundtable on women in leadership positions provided an opportunity for the minority representatives to share personal journeys.

The results of the panel discussions reaffirmed that structural issues are often shared across borders and communities. The participants emphasized the importance of state/government intervention, both in establishing policies and ensuring their implementation.

The conference organisers also screened the pilot episode of the Women of Minorities video series, namely a documentary that introduces Anna Navarro Schlegel, recognized as one of the most influential women in global technology. Speaking online to the participants, Anna N. Schlegel discussed her experiences as a woman leader in a male-dominated field and shared strategies for overcoming barriers. “When a woman is confident, the hate cannot affect her. And in order to build such confidence, to become a leader, she needs to continuously build herself – through education, non-formal trainings, development of skills, development of support networks, and anything that would help her to advance personally and professionally”, was Anna’s message.

As the conference ended, the participants expressed a strong interest in continued collaboration, suggesting “Inequalities in Representation and Participation of Minorities” as a theme for a future event in 2025. 

To consolidate the insights gained during this event, FUEN will develop a policy issue brief by the end of 2024, to be published on the project website (www.womenofminorities.eu).

Photos from the conference can be accessed here.