Women's Voices

A woman looks at posters for the US film 'Django Unchained' at a cinema in Beijing on May 13, 2013.

China Poses 'Huge Problems' For Foreign Filmmakers

A Chinese movie critic gives her view of the landscape for foreign films in China.

'The Government Has Just Dropped Us'

A former 'cover teacher' describes fighting for assistance after being laid off from a government education program.

'Living Here is Like Living in a Prison'

The mother and sister-in-law of blind dissident Chen Guangcheng describe the harsh restrictions placed on their family.

'The Ghosts Walked the Earth, While We Lived in Hell'

A former inmate recounts her experiences at a Chinese labor camp.

'Beijing Doesn't Trust the People of Hong Kong'

'I Had No Hope to Continue Living'

A North Korean defector describes being trafficked in China.

'I Have Never Seen So Many Ambulances'

A Chinese woman describes what she witnessed at the scene at the Boston marathon bombings.

'My Sister Was Forced Into Sex Slavery'

A Vietnamese woman in the U.S. tells the story of her sister's trafficking at a Vietnamese-run brothel in Moscow.

'His Life Hung by a Thread'

The wife of an imprisoned Chinese rights lawyer describes the persecution her family has endured.

'That Piece of Paper Is All They Care About'

Chinese mothers go to great lengths to have their children born in the U.S.

'The Aim Is to Prettify a Dictatorship'

The editor of a political magazine in Hong Kong discusses China's new first lady.

'An Underhanded Approach to Disputes'

A former editor of an official newspaper discusses China's treatment of foreign journalists.

'It's Painful For Me to Take a Phone Call'

An outspoken activist is beaten after an altercation with the authorities following her visit to the house of Liu Xia.

‘They Feel Hopeless’

A rights activist describes the plight of Kachin women living in refugee camps in northern Burma.

'They Are Afraid Our Church Will Grow'

The pastor of an unofficial Protestant church says China's ruling Communist Party is trying to limit members' activities.

'We'd Be Better Off Selling Yams on the Street'

Five high-school students take issue with gender bias in China's highly competitive university entrance system.

'We Are in a Very Dangerous Situation'

Women who try to lodge complaints against local officials in China are particularly vulnerable to attack and abuse.

'Not a Chinese Composer'

A woman born in Shanghai resists labels as she explores new musical forms in Germany.

'I Am All Out of Tears'

The sister of a man whose conviction was overturned after more than a decade in a Chinese prison describes his release.

'A Local Saint'

A professor of religion recalls the life of a visionary Buddhist teacher in modern Tibet.

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Tibet Poet Speaks Up

Women in the News

Vietnamese Women Speak Up

Uyghur Women Step Forward

Women of Asia Display Strength

Burmese Women Caught in Crossfire

Korean Mothers' Sacrifices

Dissidents' Wives

Behind most dissidents and activists is a wife who quietly supports his cause and struggles just as much. They speak to the media when their husbands are in prison, they protest and plead authorities - often to no avail. They are creative like Chinese activist Hu Jia's wife Zeng Jinyan, who became a famous blogger, or just holding on and being pillars of strength for their husbands.

The dissidents' wives are extraordinary women, fighting in their own way for freedom of information and human dignity. When they speak up, they open the world’s eyes to the very high cost paid by their families.

Conversation with Aung San Suu Kyi

Every Friday, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi addresses ordinary people's concerns in a broadcast program in Burmese.