Islam-Muslim Women “Saving” Muslim Women from their own culture: Three case studies of humanitarian intervention

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of humanitarian efforts inspired by Western principles of emancipation in comparison with indigenous relief efforts. Specifically, cases relating to Muslim women will be shown to exemplify general problems associated with humanitarian efforts on behalf of “other women.” This paper argues that Western humanitarian interventions are ineffective acts of cultural imperialism, and that interventions by local women’s agencies, combined with international support and media coverage, yield much better results. It also argues that international aid work should be grounded in the local cultures, whereas local NGOs should adopt Western modes of operating.