Book on role of Cuban women within the Revolution available in Arabic language

Havana, July 2 (RHC)-- The book 'Las mujeres en Cuba: Haciendo una revolución dentro de la revolución', or in English (Women in Cuba: the making of a revolution within the revolution) on the role of Cuban women within the Revolution is now available also in Arabic language, translated by Syrian translator Ezza Hassoun.

Released by Pathfinder, the book title paraphrases a famous quote by Revolution leader Fidel Castro, when he referred to the leading role of women in every field of Cuban society under the revolution, as opposed to the discrimination they suffered before 1959.

The text is a collection of interviews with three Cuban women leaders Vilma Espín, president of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) from its founding in 1960 until her death in 2007, also Asela de Los Santos, a co-founder of the FMC and Yolanda Ferrer, also a former FMC general secretary. All three women, fought, taught, and organized during the revolution.

In the book, Mary-Alice Waters interviews these leaders about their experiences and what it meant to be women changed during the revolution. The first half the book recounts the period between Batista’s military coup in 1952 to the defeat of the Batista dictatorship in 1959, and especially how they created a new social order during the revolutionary war.

The second part details the way that Cuban women's lives changed in the 1960s through the socialist revolution as millions, led by the Federation of Cuban Women, were brought out of poverty, prostitution and patriarchal subordination.

The book also includes two sections of high-quality black-and-white photos of revolutionary women and other scenes of the Cuban revolution, and in the back is a detailed glossary of terms, individuals, and a time-line of events.

In statements to Prensa Latin news agency, Syrian translator Ezza Hassoun explained that the Cuban experience could well be useful to women in Syria and Arab societies in general, as it encourages women’s active social and civil participation within society.

The Syrian translator further explained that Takwin publishing house is now in charge of printing and distributing this new edition of the book in Arabic language to reach out to the largest possible numbers of readers, both men and women in Syria and across the Arab world.

Mary-Alice Waters is the president and chief editor of Pathfinder Press and a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Workers Party in the US.