Attempting to come to terms with her own life in exile, Afkhami, who was forced out of Iran because of her work for women's rights, sought out and talked with 12 other women from all parts of the globe. Their stories offer a rare and special opportunity to witness the harrowing experience of flight and dislocation and to marvel at the resilience of the human spirit.

This volume is about the ways of promoting women's participation in the affairs of Muslim societies: from raising conciousness and changing codes of law, to penetrating the economic markets and influencing national and international policies.