Dear John,

For the past few months, we’ve been working on big ideas at WOLA…and I’m excited to share them with you. In the midst of our 50th anniversary celebrations, we’ve spent time asking ourselves how WOLA can be as effective in our next 50 years as we have been in our first 50.

The answer was, in part, to add a more comprehensive approach to the country-specific work we’ve been doing. We recognized the need of combining our collective expertise to address broader regional issues. By fostering collaboration and pooling resources, we believe we can make a more significant impact.

Some of the areas we observed this year are:

In countries across the Americas, democratic institutions are under stress, authoritarian leaders are on the rise, civic space is shrinking, and freedom of the press is threatened. Yet, Latin America still presents more democratic opportunities than other regions globally. By working hand in hand with our partners, we strive for the goal of enabling democracies to thrive via civic participation and the protection of human rights.

Because of historic levels of migration across the region – combined with often fragile immigration systems and harsh border deterrence policies – migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are at risk. WOLA works with our partners to promote policies that foster respect for the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and expanded legal pathways, including access to protection.

For those who call Latin America and the Caribbean home, catastrophic weather events as well as slow-moving climate challenges such as drought and rising sea levels are leaving them highly vulnerable to losing their livelihoods, or even their lives. WOLA addresses how the climate crisis is exacerbated by corruption and failed drug policies that fuel illicit economies, particularly extractive industries, that are destroying the environment. Through strategic partnerships, we promote reforms for climate action.

We address human rights violations against populations that face systemic discrimination. WOLA analyzes how race, gender, and sexual orientation intersect with structural inequality, injustice, and the denial of human rights in order to promote inclusive public policies that take these elements into account. By analyzing the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation with structural inequality, we advocate for inclusive public policies that acknowledge and rectify these injustices.

My holiday wish this year is that you will invest in this next phase of our work. Challenges related to these issues are at the forefront of many human rights struggles in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

We are deeply grateful for the support you’ve given so far, and look forward to all that we can continue to do together.

In solidarity,

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval
President, WOLA

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