Independent women. The story of women’s activism in East Timor - September 2005

The story of women's activism in East Timor with comparative chapters on Cambodia, Mozambique and Namibia

This book tells the story of how East Timorese women activists mobilised against a patriarchal society and claimed their right to participate in their new independent and democratic nation.

Drawing on personal research and extensive interviews with women activists in East Timor, the authors explore the history and contribution of the East Timorese women's movement during and after the Indonesian occupation. They examine the growing influence of the
women's movement as the country moved into independence, and analyse the key challenges facing East Timorese women in their ongoing quest for rights and greater political participation.

The book includes comparative chapters by expert guest authors on the lessons to be drawn from women's experiences in Cambodia, Mozambique and Namibia - countries which have also experienced the transition from an extended period of conflict to eventual
independence.

Independent women dispels the myth that women working for women's advancement in East Timor are agents of a foreign or western agenda. It shows that the women of East Timor are women of courage who, on the long road to independence, have found the strength to
stand up for their rights and play their part in the shaping of their country.

'Independent women is a profound testimony to the unique character of East Timorese women and to their resolve and courage in the long process of struggle for the liberation of their country and now their own liberation' - Olandina Caeiro

'A monograph of great importance. [Independent Women is] an accessible history designed to engage a general readership .... The book gives crucial attention to a subject matter usually overlooked in writings about Timor-Leste, clearly lays out the movement's major developments and effectively draws upon the stories of individual activists .... A welcome and relevant publication.' - International Feminist Journal of Politics, June 2008

Further details from the book, including extracts and images, can be found at the Independent Women website at: http://www.independent-women.org/

ISBN: 1852873175