Yvette Jarvis
Sp. Advisor to the Mayor on Immigration
Fmr. City Councilor Athens Greece
Conditions Required for Effective Poitical participation
Effective participation in my opinion begins with immigrants as active equal
partners in the decision making process. Immigrants must .represent
themselves at all of levels of the decision making process if not actively
politically then in advisory positions.
Laws that discriminate and prohibit voting rights must be repealed when
possible and at best modified to allow documented immigrants the right to
be elected and to vote.
Programs should be developed to foster immigrant participation through
training, empowerment, mentoring and network building programs.
Recognition of the particular difficulties that visible minorities face in the
dominate culture must be dealt with in specific ways as to empower those
minorities most affected, women and children
Political parties must actively recruit through open invitation minority
participation. Mechanisms must be set into place to facillitate their
acceptance into the party through mentoring programs
Awareness campaigns for the dominant soceity must be created
emphasizing the contributions minorites have made to the 'benefit of the
whole soceity with special attention given to the basic human rights of all
individuals
Youth councils, forums and mock parliaments can be created so as to
foster a polical orientation for minorities for preparation for political
aspirations and participation
Some best practice recomendations
Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis from his campaign promise made it clear that
immigrant residents of the ciy of Athens would have equal access to all public
facilities including halls, athletic facilities, squares, municipal clinics and social
welfare programs.
Immigrant children have full access to public schools irregardless of the legal
status of their parents through the junior high school level,
The city boasts an international Radio station which broadcasts in 14
different languages. Athens International Radio is one of the most diverse
in Europe
An innovative language program which I developed as a city councillor
for working mothers called «Mom Learns Greek » gives working