February 2008

Dear friends and supporters of Inter Pares,

When wars and armed conflict ravage countries around the world, rarely do stories of women’s suffering make the headlines. Yet when women speak out about their experiences in these situations, one clear pattern emerges: in times of war, women’s and girls’ bodies are systematically targeted through sexual violence.

While the topic of sexual violence is grim, more and more people are working together on the basis of the shared conviction that violence must stop – not only on battlefields, but also in homes and communities.

Recently, Inter Pares organized a series of events called Women’s Struggle for Justice, which featured long-standing colleagues from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Together we reflected on the work our organizations are doing to promote women’s rights. During their time here, our colleagues shared their questions and lessons learned not only with each other, but also with local activists promoting women’s equality here in Canada, and with the Canadian public as well.

We offer an overview of these events in our attached February Bulletin, entitled Women’s Struggle for Justice. In its pages, we present the committed individuals who participated, their shared work with Inter Pares to find justice for women, and some of the reflections that were sparked by our time together.

An overwhelming conclusion throughout these activities was that international solidarity is crucial in stopping violence against women in each of our countries. As an Inter Pares supporter, you are an important part of this solidarity, and we encourage you to consider all of the ways you can help promote equality at home and abroad.

We encourage you to send along any questions or reflections our Bulletin may spark.

Best regards,



Samantha McGavin

P.S. Please make a gift today so that together we can find justice for women and girls, and build safer and more equal futures for all.