Brief History of Activities

To meet its goals the NCGW has consistently remained at the forefront of the women's movement in Greece and has lead the fight for:
- full political rights.
- access of women to all levels of education.
- access of women to all professions and public offices.
- equality for women in the workplace and the professions.
- revision of family law and of Greek legislation in general so as to eliminate provisions which discriminate against women.

The first report on 'The Condition of Greek Women' was made public by the NCGW at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The magazine Ellinis (The Greek Woman) was published by the NCGW from 1920 until 1941. It reported on every important development affecting the status of women as well as on their demands and struggles to achieve equality.
After 1922, following the influx of more than one million Greeks from Asia Minor, the NCGW participated actively in refugee relief by establishing schools for illiterate women and workshops for training women in handcraft, as well as in the promotion and sale of their products.
From 1922 and until the 1990s NCGW professionals provided free legal advice and court services to women who could not afford a lawyer.
Following World War II the Council established two orphanages for war victims as well as twenty-five educational Youth Centers in towns and rural areas.
In the early 1950s the Council organized in Athens the first international conference on The Child in Postwar Europe.
In recent years the Council had the initiative for the creation of the ad hoc Coordination of Greek women's NGOs for the European Women's Lobby (EWL) and represented the Coordination to the EWL Board during the first six years of its existence. Since that time the Council continues to participate in the Greek delegation to the EWL General Assembly through a member of its Executive Committee who is elected to serve in that capacity.
In cooperation with other women's NGOs it made a significant contribution to the 1975 Greek Constitution by introducing provisions to safeguard equality between women and men.
It participated actively in United Nations conferences on women (Mexico, Copenhagen, Nairobi, Beijing, New York) and contributed to the dissemination of relevant information and to the implementation of the adopted Plans of Action.

Ongoing Project

'Konistra Petralonon', a recreation center for children and young adolescents, has been operating in a densely populated part of Athens (Petralona) since 1923. Situated in a small park, the center provides a safe, accessible playground for preschool children, athletic fields for older children and an open-air meeting place for mothers. It is very popular among the local community and over the years its facilities have been enjoyed by thousands of children and youthful athletes.