Refugee Women (Program in Migration and Refugee Studies)

Refugee Women, originally published in 1992, turned awareness for the first time to the particular issues faced by women driven from their homes as a result of international conflict. Used in coursework, for training, and as a springboard for policy development, this enormously influential book still has not done enough. In the second edition of Refugee Women, Susan Forbes Martin draws on years of personal field experience and policy work to revisit the particular concerns of female refugees. In this new edition, Martin provides crucial background for understanding the legal issues and policies developed to protect women persecuted because of their gender. She also describes the recent genesis of the category of internally displaced persons, focusing on the unique hardships of women who flee their homes but remain within the borders of their own countries. Finally, Martin demonstrates how women can advance toward greater participation in legal and economic decision making, affirming the power women possess to affect their own destiny when given the necessary support.