Abstract

This paper focuses on the plight of Muslim minority women in Thrace who reside in the northeastern Greek province in all its three prefectures (Evros, Rodopi, and Xanthi). There is evidence of increases in the number of female students in state and minority schools in the past years and their success in graduating from Greek universities and the adaptation of Muslim minority women to the information age. Collecting information concerning Muslim minority in Greek Thrace, and especially minority women, is not an easy task. This paper will, thus, present an overview of the professions that Muslim minority women occupy. The information was collected from multiple sources: public and private organizations, institutions, citizen service centers, local commercial and technical chambers, hospitals, municipal offices, and other institutions. In addition, selected extracts from interview/conversations with Muslim minority women will be presented to illuminate the agony they continue to experience as they pursue professional integration. Finally a set of suggestions and insights on the empowerment and integration of Muslim minority women will be presented to illustrate the types of effort needed and the mutual respect required among Christians and Muslims in order to bring a sense of social justice among the communities of the region.