just in at ISIS
The Black Woman Cross-Culturally Filomina Chioma Steady (ed.) Schenkman Publishing Company 3 Mt. Auburn Place Cambridge, MA 02138 USA US$7.95 (add US$2. - for overseas). 1980
The aim of this book is to "discuss common themes which can be considerated significant in the experience of the majority of black women". Among these themes are black
women's African heritage, economic exploitation and marginality, negative literary images, and a discussion of the black woman as the original feminist. (Information from publicity flyer). Royalties from the book will be donated to the United Negro College Fund and the Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD).
African Women Their Struggle for Economic Independence Christine Obbo Zed Press 57 Caledonian Road London N1 9DN England £12.95. 1980
This book presents a detailed picture of women in the urban and rural areas of Uganda and Western Kenya, showing how they are struggling for more economic independence. The author looks in detail at migration, the different aspects of the struggle for single and married women, and the new more independent forms of relationships with men, as well as solidarity with other women that they have built up.
Information Kit for Women in Africa International Women's Tribune Center 305 East 46th Street New York NY 10017 USA. Vinyl 3-ring binder : $8.00 ($6 paperback)
A collaborative project between IWTC and the UN / ECA African Training and Research Centre for Women (Ethiopia), the kit has been developed to provide an overview and introduction to the wide range of resources and activities for, by, and about women engaged in development programmes throughout Africa.
Also available from ITWC is a project development manual for women in South America. In Spanish only, Movilizando la Mujer, also costs $8 for a 3-ring binde
Mujer y Sociedad lea 441 - A-Of. 401, Lima Peru. US$ 17 annually.
This is an excellent feminist journal just started to be published in Peru and covering a whole range of issues from women in El Salvador and Bolivia, to women workers' action in factories in Peru, the Copenhagen conference, and more theoretical pieces on feminist thought. Highly recommended
Slaves of Slaves. The Challenge of Latin American Women Latin American and Caribbean Women's Collective Zed Press 57 Caledonian Road London N1 9DN
UK £12.95 (hard) £4.50 (paper)
This Book, whose authors all come from Latin America, was written "out of a belief that the only way to understand the problems of Latin American and Caribbean women is
through an investigation specifically geared to the complex and contradictory world they live in. It is written in two parts : the first attempts to draw out some general ideas
on the specificity on the women's movement in Latin America and the Caribbean, taking into account both the particularities of various countries, and portrays various aspects of women's oppression and resistance.
Women in Pakistan and Other Islamic Countries A Selected Bibliography with Annotations by Nighat Ayub A Women's Resource Centre /Shirkat Gah Publications
Pakistan. 1978.
This book is an effort to define, describe and give structure to the existing body of literature - academic, periodical and popular. The section on Pakistan has been divided into disciplines - Education, Health, Legal, etc. The two other sections are Women and Islam, and Women in Other Islamic Countries - the latter divided by country. An extremely useful work, all the more so because literature specifically on women in Pakistan is limited
Pacific and Asian Women's Network 529 Bauddhaloka Mawata Colombo 8 Sri Lanka. US$6 annually (US$12 for libraries and institutions).
Published by the Pacific and Asian Women's Forum (PAWF) which is a network of women across seventeen Pacific and Asian countries, this is their first publication. It covers a whole of issues including education, breastfeeding / bottle feeding, Asian women factory workers, marriage in China, the image of women in films, and women in Fiji, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Articles are generally short, but are original and provide information where little is otherwise available. We recommend supporting this network
Feminist Conference in India
Between the 1st and 3rd of November 1980, Bombay was the site of the First National Conference of Indian Feminists. The conference was hosted by the Forum Against Oppression of Women, Bombay. Nearly 400 delegates from 14 states of India participated. Thirty-two women's groups or organisations were represented and of 28 papers presented, topics covered Rape, The Rape Bill, Violence in the Family and Wife beating, Health, Housework, Women and Trade Unions, Women in the Mass Media, and Problems of Autonomous Women's Organisations.
The outcome of the conference was the founding of a national co-ordination committee of women activists to coordinate activities, publications, and future programmes of various groups and organisations spread all over India.
On November 4th the resolutions of the conference, entitled Perspective for Women's Liberation Movement in India were presented at a public meeting. The Resolutions called for, a) changes in the Personal Laws particularly pertaining to minority communities, b) steps to counter violence in the family — wife beating, burning and harrassment of brides for dowry, by various measures like setting up Rescue homes, counseling services, police protection, change in divorce laws, etc., c) better employment opportunities, nonsexist educational facilities, and better working conditions, d) improvement of health facilities available to women and an end to dumping and testing of drugs on Indian women by multinational drug agencies, e) development of a women's health movement, f) organisation against the distorted view of women and the exploitation of her sexuality by the media, g) legal and public action against Dowry.
For further information contact :
The Forum Against The Oppression of Women c / o Vibhuti Patel K-8 Nensey Colony Express Highway Borivili (East) Bombay - 400066 India
TW-MAE-W (Third World Movement Against the Exploitatioon of Women) P.O. Box 1434 Manila - 2800 Philippines.
Group taking action against tourism and prostitution. Publishes bi-monthly newsletter.
Connexions 4228 Telegraph Avenue Oakland, C A 94609 USA. US$10 annually
This is a new quarterly magazine which plans to bring together articles from the international feminist press on issues of concern to the women's movement internationally. Upcoming issues will center on women organizing, women refugees, lesbians worldwide and women in Latin America. See also Second Class, Working Class produced by the same group in November 1979, which brings together an anthology of articles from around the world on women. Covers political parties and unions, strikes and resistance, prostitution, immigration and reproductive rights. US$3.
MATCH 401-171 Nepean Ottawa Ontario K2P )B4 Canada.
"We match needs and resouces. MATCH acts as a switchboard, linking up women's projects in Third World countries with the resources and funds available through individuals and women's groups here in Canada. It's as simple as that. Because we are incorporated and have co-financing arrangements with Canadian International Development Agency we can greatly facilitate the initiative of Third World women. Through cooperation MATCH enables women to become self-reliant and integrated into development."
International Contraception Abortion & Sterilisation Campaign 374 Grays Inn Road London W1 UK.
National groups coming together at the international level to share information and experience and to support one other in the fight for women's unconditional right to control our own fertility. International co-ordination meetings take place about every four months, each time in a different European city. ICASC also organises solidarity actions around the world. Affiliation : £3 individuals, £10 local organisations, £25 national organisations. Newsletter subscription (3 issues / year) : £1.80 North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand. £1.50 Latin America, Africa, Asia, Spain, Portugal, Greece
Women at Work No. 2/80 International Labour Office 1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland S Fr.9 .
This is a special issue dealing with the Copenhagen Women's Conference. It gives an analysis of the Programme of Action of the United Nations, and particularly analyses the resolutions on women and employment and related activities. Two additional articles of interest are : "Women outside Global Negotiations" and an interview with the ex-Prime Minister of Portugal, Maria Lourdes Pinta Silgo.
CREW Reports Centre f o r Research o n European Women 2 2 , rue de Toulouse 1040 Bruxelles Belgium.
CREW Reports is a monthly publication bringing up-to-date news of events, measures, plans, etc. affecting women from the European Community, the Member States and international bodies. The CREW cooperative also prepares reports, undertakes information and literature searches, and is building up a resource centre from which one can borrow or obtain copies of papers referred to in CREW Reports, and other research or legislation on women.
Kvindehskolen Visby 6270 Tinder Denmark
Danish Feminists' School — a month-long programme consisting of mornings spent in basis groups, a combination of consciousness raising and work groups, discussing topics chosen by each group, and afternoons spent in workshops, again topics chosen by women attending. Each week there is a general discussion - among possible topics are nuclear energy, women's culture, and legal rights. Normal fees are 2000 Danish Kr, also a number of free places are available for women with far to travel and litte money. Dates : August 23-September 18,1981 . Language will be English.
GRIP Place Quetelet la 1030 Bruxelles Belgium.
A group of women who organize courses such as " Violence in the family and society of the 16th to 18th centuries " . There is also a documentation center open weekdays 9 to 5 (closed noon to 2 p.m.), and a bi monthly newsletter
Agence Femmes Information 104, bd St-Germain 75006 Paris France.
Offers 1) information by telephone Friday and Saturday 1;00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., 2) a center of documentation which publishes 'press dossiers' composed of articles, unedited documents and useful addresses on present-day themes, 3) a press agency which reflects women's view of events through a bulletin , articles and original studies.
Office Workers' Survival Handbook Women and Work Hazards Group c / o British Society f o r Social Responsibility in Science 9 Poland Street London W1 UK. 1981.JC2.35.
Subtitled "a guide to fighting health hazards in the office ", this excellent and lively book deals in detail with the many office hazards which confront women most of all : stress, noise, lighting, dangerous substances, temperature and ventilation , welfare facilities and hygiene, physical hazards, and the new technology (word processors etc.). It also has a whole section on how to use the law and how to organise for better working conditions. A very important tool for women
Why Children ? Stephanie Dowrick and Sybil Grundberg (eds.) The Women's Press L t d. 124 Shoreditch High Street London E l 6JE England £2.75. 1980
An anthology of essays on women's feelings and experiences about motherhood and non-motherhood. It is a witty , interesting and moving book in which one feels very close to the authors of the essays — like having an intimate conversation. It throws many insights on to the whole question of having children or not, and indeed the most important questions raised is reflected by the title : women are now asking themselves, however painfully and tentatively, not only " when" and " if " , but also " why " children. This question has implications which reach far beyond our " biological " destiny.
Laurieston Hall in S.W. Scotland for details write : Judy Oakley 5 Harehills Place Leeds 8 Leeds, Yorkshire UK.
Offers a Lesbian summer camp August 24-31, 1981. Also offers workshops on topics such as spinning and gardening. Write for list and other details. In addition Laurieston Hall is available as a conference site.
Mirror , Mirror Kathryn Weibel Doubleday Anchor Pub. US$3.95. 1977.
Mirror , Mirror is a historical survey of the changing popular images of women in American culture and the motives and values behind them — in fiction , on television, in movies, magazines, advertising, and fashion.
Correction
In No. 18 we incorrectly mentioned Biblioteca Femina, a herstory of book collections concerning women, as being available f r om Tower Press. It is available f r om Celebrating Women, P.O. Box 2 5 1 , Warrensburg, N Y 12885, USA.