Often presented through the unique angle of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma is in the throes of unprecedented political opening. But behind the Nobel Peace Prize-winner figure, other, lesser-known women have also contributed to making this evolution possible. The interviews that make up this book address both the progress that has already been made and what is left to accomplish in order to make Burma a truly democratic society. These militant women’s lives illustrate how difficult it is for them to impose themselves in a culture that is not welcoming to the idea of women’s independence or autonomy. Since the democratic uprising of 1988, the number of women involved in the struggle against the Burmese regime has increased constantly, both among exiles and among those who stayed in the country. Showing tremendous determination and force of character, Burmese women are trying to improve their position in arenas ranging from society, culture and the arts, to issues of health and more. Of course, the situation is far from perfect, and Aung San Suu Kyi’s silence on the subject of the violence done to certain minorities raises uncomfortable questions.

Composed around interviews with eight Burmese women activists in a range of different fields, the book also introduces us to women’s issues in this country, the problems they daily face and the progress they have achieved in fighting for their rights. Violations of women’s human rights are still frequent in this multi-ethnic country.