WASHINGTON – Ahead of International Women's Day, Radio Free Asia (RFA) today launched the second edition of an e-book profiling the lives, work, and sacrifice of women from Asian countries and regions under authoritarian rule taking up the fight for human rights on their families' and communities' behalf. 'It's not OK' collects and presents additional portraits of these remarkable women, whose often untold stories demonstrate courage under fire, in China, Southeast Asia, and North Korea. The book is available for free on the iTunes Store and Google Play.
"For women living in Asian countries under strict authoritarian rule, the challenges of fighting for human rights can be immense," said Libby Liu, President of RFA. "These fearless individuals must contend with rigid social norms, little representation in government, and few legal protections, at great cost to themselves and their families.
"That is why it is especially important to know and share their stories. Awareness and attention can help protect them, improve their situation, and advance their cause."
Portraits selected by RFA's nine language services are based on RFA reporting and interviews over the years, in addition to other sources. The e-book also features multimedia content, including video interviews, graphics, and illustrations, the latter of which were created by the Broadcasting Board of Governor's Office of Digital & Design Innovation (ODDI).
The new portraits in this edition are: women's advocate and poverty activist Susanna Hla Hla Soe (Myanmar); jailed mother Nurungul Tohti (China's Uyghur region); UK born Tibetan advocate Dechen Pema; jailed veteran journalist Gao Yu (China); anti-human trafficking activist Tran Thi Nga (Vietnam); land grab activist Sivanxai Phommalath (Laos); and Park Sun-young (South Korea), an advocate of North Korean defectors.