Women in Black

“Rape, femicide and the social exploitation of women are endemic. Feminist activism to end gendered oppression and violence is urgent and will be strengthened by fostering a greater understanding of the masculinist and patriarchal nature of militarism and war and making the scope and extent of current movements for change better known.” — Cynthia Cockburn

Women in Black is a worldwide network of women “committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and other forms of violence.” The late feminist solidarity activist Cynthia Cockburn tells the story of this indispensable global anti-violence movement known around the world for staging dramatic actions that seek to expose and denounce war, rape, militarism and apartheid. As well as an inspiring account of a networked feminist struggle, this book also presents a template for analysis and action in our era of multiplying wars, surging military spending and rampant gendered violence. As neoliberal states starve the commons to feed the war machine and nationalist movements gain traction around the world, there is much to learn from the transversal actions and coalition building that Women in Black has engaged in for decades.

Cynthia Cockburn knew she was going to die before she was able to complete this book, so she asked her companions from the global Women in Black network to carry on with this vital project of chronicling a movement that has spanned decades and continents. The result is a testament to the beauty and intellectual power of a truly collective effort. This dramatic and inspiring story of a history-making movement could not be more vital and life affirming.