Women Living Under Muslim Law: An Update

Coordination of the Women Living Under Muslim Law Network, set up in Holland in 1984, has moved out; in June 1985 it established itself in France, from where it now operates.

The Network reaches women from 15 countries or communities which observe Koranic Laws. It also extends to the migrant communities in Europe, and is working towards making more contacts in the future.

The first pack of information was issued to the members of the Network in December 1985.

A coordination meeting is to be held at the beginning of 1986 in order to plan for a larger meeting, to take place before the end of the year.

Women Living Under Muslim Law calls on women to send information about the forms in which interpretations of Koranic Laws, traditions and political situations are expressed in their national context; about the possibilities of organising and about the focus of their actions. They are also encouraged to use the Network to share information about their needs and struggles with other women living under Muslim law.

For more information contact:
Action Committee of Women Living Under Muslim Law
Combaillaux 34980, France

Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA)

The Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) was formed in April 1985 at an official launching meeting in Barbados. The idea to establish the association was born in Puerto Rico in 1980, when women activists and scholars from all over the Caribbean came together for an IDS/CEREP⁽¹⁾ study seminar on Women and Social Production in the Caribbean. The need was felt to strengthen regionalism by working towards establishing proper links between research arid action programmes. Underlying this need is a shared feminist approach, which recognizes the exploitation and oppression of women and its relationship to other forms of exploitation and oppression in society and the commitment to work actively towards changing this situation.

From this perspective, CAFRA aims at developing research priorities which respond to the needs of the women's movement in the region, providing a Caribbean marketplace for feminist encounter in this regard.

The Secretariat was established in Trinidad & Tobago.

The Steering Committee is comprised of a General Coordinator, a Secretariat, and National Representatives.

The National Representatives coordinate at national levels and liaise with the Coordinator in Trinidad. Members meet regularly at national levels, discuss work plans and liaise with the Secretariat which monitors and administers coordinative action.

For further information contact:
Language Laboratory
University of the West Indies St. Augustine
Trinidad & Tobago

CEAAL's Women's Network

The women of CEAAL (Consejo de Educacion de Adultos de America Latina) have set up a Latin American Network to exchange experiences and educational materials used with grassroot women's groups. Women from Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Brasil, and Nicaragua belong to the Network and organise different activities and participatory research in their countries. Especially important is the Network's role in the organisation of regional and national seminars on the issues of education.

For more information contact:
Rosa Paredes
Apartado 17676, Caracas
1015-A, Venezuela

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^₍₁₎ IDS: (Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex - CEREP: Centro de Estudios de la Realidad Puertoriquena, San Juan, Puerto Rico.)