Introduction

Boa tarde! This issue of the WRI Women's Newsletter focuses on Latin America. Inside, you will find interviews with feminists from Brazil, Bolivia and Columbia; articles on women in Brazil's environmental movement and on street girls; and information on the continent-wide struggle against violence against women. We hope this will provide some background on women's struggles in Latin America, as preparation for the next War Resisters' International Triennial, which will be held in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, December 10-17, this year.

WRI women are preparing presentations throughout the Triennial around the theme of "Determination and Resistance: How Women Work Against Violence". A work group on this theme may meet every day. Some of the topics that have been proposed include the connections between militarism, violence against women, and economic oppression; women and demilitarisation processes, (including women's experiences of UN peacekeeping troops); and women and economic oppression. We may also discuss how can we work together internationally (for example, prioritising common issues, or looking at possible common campaigns). The proposals are tentative; if you are interested in working on this theme, please contact the WRI Women's Working Group Coordinator, Maggie Helwig, at the London office.

Last but not least: included in this issue is a special supplement in Portuguese, "Europa um Paraiso?" ("Europe, a paradise?"). The supplement is from a brochure prepared by a network of European groups against the traffic in women. It gives the stories of three Brazilian women who, believing they were being offered legitimate jobs in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, left Brazil and travelled to Europe for "uma vida melhor" ("a better life"). Once there, they were forced to work as prostitutes.

This supplement is especially for visitors to the Triennial from Europe. We encourage you to take it with you to the Triennial and share it with interested women and girls who may have questions about life in Europe. The supplement includes advice on travel (keep all valid travel documents and important addresses with you, etc.) and immigration, and the addresses of women's groups who are prepared to help in case of problems.

There will be one more issue of the WRI Women's Newsletter this year. This will continue the focus on Latin America. We look forward to your articles and news (in Spanish or English) by September 20.

Adeus!

Shelley Anderson