FOR and the American Friends Service Committee have released a report documenting the first-person experiences of women peace activists in Colombia. "I Will Never Be Silenced: Testimonies of Hope from Colombian Woman" highlights the words and work of 17 women from throughout Colombia - rural and urban, old and young, Afro-Colombian, indigenous and mestizo, artists, religious, political, feminists. These women have tirelessly and fearlessly worked to create peace and justice.

Elizabeth Lozano explains in the report's introduction:

"The violence faced by women is not only inflicted by the machetes, guns, and landmines of the 'enemy.' It is also carried out by 'friendly' fire, so to speak, in the woman's daily life. This is the normalized violence exercised without the weapons of war, and manifested in abusive marital relations, implicit or explicit threats of rape, absence of education opportunities, lack of sexual education, and in the general expectation that her right place is the kitchen and the bedroom."/blockquote>

"I Will Never Be Silenced" brings to readers women who endure these various forms of violence to speak about their experiences and their work to end the violence and impunity in their country.

Read the Introduction or download sample testimonies here.

Order your copy today! The 40-page report is available in a paper bound version for $6 postpaid for individual copies, or $30 for 10 copies, postpaid.

For a digital PDF version (3.7MB) of the full report, write to us at johnlp[at]igc.org.

To order your print copy, please send a check to the FOR office at:
436 14th St. #409, Oakland, CA 94612