• Philippines
• Education
• Women's Studies

The Philippines now has an Institute of Women's Studies as of June 1988. It grew out of the Women's Studies Program of St. Scholastica's College in Manila, run by Sr. Mary John Mananzan, who is an Isis International Associate.

The Institute hopes to move into its new home in early 1989, Nursia, that it will share with the Social Action Center. Aside from having at least 20 cubicles, office space, and a conference room, there are plans to have a room to exhibit crafts made by women and a small women's bookstore.

Besides its regular women's studies curricular program, the Institute will have a local and an international Outreach Program. Local women will be able to attend two-week seminars on themes such as Awakening Awareness, Women and Development, Women and Religion, and Women, Arts and Media.

The International Program is mainly for women from Asia and the Pacific and will be a six-month integrated course on women's studies that includes a one-month exposure program, four-months of academic study and one month preparation of a research paper.

Publications and audiovisual productions are in the works, including audiovisual histories of women in the Philippines.

A Friends of the Institute Network has been established to give support. Contributions of books, magazines and audiovisuals are welcome.

For more information, contact:

The Institute of Women's Studies, St. Scholastica's College, 2560 Leon Guinto St. PO Box 3153 Manila, Philippines

• Thailand
• News
• Women's Identity

"Voices of Thai Women'' is the first English newsletter of the Foundation for Women (FFW). The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about activities of the FFW and to collect articles written about women in Thailand. FFW hopes that "Voices of Thai Women" will promote better understanding about the situation of Thai women among friends in other cultures and consolidate solidarity against exploitation of women in Thailand as well as in other countries.

The newsletter does not only voice problems of Thai women, but also reveals struggles and actions of women's organisations and concerned people in Thailand. It is time for friends overseas to have an insight of the struggle of Thai women and to renew their image of Thai women. It is longer than a decade that western media has portrayed women of Thailand as docile, subservient creatures craving only for material benefits and willing to serve men. With such a depiction of Thai women, Thailand became a sex haven for men whose status is allegedly at stake due to the emancipation of women at home.

Should we not enforce concerted actions based on mutual understanding and equality to prevent third world women from paying the price of the emancipation of western women?

Is it not yet a time for women of any world (first, second and third) to develop a strategy without barriers for the true emancipation of all women?

"Voices of Thai Women" hopes to appear on regular basis. However, it depends on many factors, namely resources and woman-power. Nonetheless, your comments and support are the great contribution for the next issue.

(FFW was set up in 1987as a legal for two projects: the Women's Information Centre and the Home for Battered Women.)

September, 1988 Foundation for Women, P.O. Box 7-47 Bangkok 10700, Thailand

Solidarity

Solidarity means
Learning from each other,
Understanding each other,
Working for each other
as we work to improve
our own struggle.
And above all,
It means working together
To build a better world
Where the earth's abundance
is cultivated,
Where oppression no longer exists,
Where people's needs are met.
Where living is a joy,
And where our diversity
is a constant source for celebration.

• Women's Organisations
• Feminists
• Political Participation

On 8th March 1987, the Union of Feminist Action was created by a group of women who had launched some three years before a monthly paper called "8th March".

This paper has been playing a tremendous role to develop a sense of responsibility within Moroccan women, help them be aware of the increasing importance of their participation in the economic, social, cultural, scientific and political life of the country, and achieve rights that match their role in society.

"8th March" has also introduced a general debate on women's lives in Morocco, put forward proposals to unite and organise Moroccan women to combat discrimination especially that related to marriage and divorce. It has finally called upon the authorities to sign and abide by the international conventions condemning all kinds of sex discrimination against women.

The Union of Feminist Action will work to make women more aware of their cause which is part of the causes of the country and the people at large. It will also organise women in order to achieve their specific demands and be involved in the general struggle.

The Union aims not only at educating women and scraping illiteracy among them but at taking action in order to change sexist laws and put an end to all forms of discrimination that they suffer from, and finally, at achieving equality of both sexes in all fields.

It aims at strengthening solidarity and cooperation with women's organisations in all Arabic countries, and in the rest of the world.

For more information, contact:

UWA 45, Bd Lalla Yakout, ler, etage Casablanca, Morocco