Peace Brigades International has had the chance to welcome a new Shelter City guest this spring. Lola, a Human Rights lawyer from Latin America. Due to security reasons we cannot share much information about her.
Lola is the co-founder of an organisation supporting victims of Human Rights abuses in her home country. Her organisation is founded by victims for victims and aims to provide support and a community to families of victims of the government. On top of providing mental support, Lola’s organisation also helps to give visibility and legal aid to the cases of these victims and advocates for accountability on the part of the government.
During her stay, Lola has reinforced her network among lawyers, local organisations, and journalists. These new connections should be a way for her to raise awareness and bring global scrutiny to the events in her country. Through some limited events, Lola has also shared her story with the Dutch public and students, bringing further light on the situation of impunity in her country.
More importantly, Lola also used her stay to get a much-needed rest and work on her own well-being, something essential to get energized before returning home. She has taken the opportunity to visit Europe and the Netherlands, something that she described as a “gift of life”.
If you want to know more about Lola’s work and her stay in the Netherlands, check our website and social media for any events!
Illustration made by Lidwien Ossewaarde