Working with the Media
Writing letters to the editor is a great way to raise awareness about the situation facing women and girls in Darfur and eastern Chad.
To significantly increase the chances that your letter is printed, please keep the following points in mind:
- Use this sample letter as a guide, but put your letter in your own words. Try to frame your letter as a response to a recent article, editorial, or event covered by your newspaper.
- Keep your letter concise and to the point. Check your newspaper’s website for guidelines on word count; bear in mind that most newspapers will only accept letters of 150-200 words.
- Make sure to give your contact details, including phone number. (Phone numbers will not be published; editors generally call authors to confirm the validity of the letter before publishing.)
- Include your Amnesty International affiliation at the bottom of your letter if appropriate; however, be aware of how many times you mention the organization. Most newspapers will not submit letters that they find self-promotional.
- Check with your newspaper’s website to submit your letter via postal mail, fax or email.
Note: If your letter is published, please send a copy to Amnesty International USA, Membership, Resources and Communications Program, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 5th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20003. Other activists can get ideas from, and, more importantly, are encouraged by examples of your success.
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Sample Letter to the Editor:
[Today's Date]
Dear Editor,
The crisis in Darfur, Sudan has been devastating, and civilians -- particularly
women and girls -- are suffering from the violence.
Armed combatants in Darfur -- including Sudanese government forces, the
pro-government Janjawid militia and rebel groups -- have subjected women
and girls to sexual violence and other brutal assaults. According to Amnesty
International, on September 5 alone, five women and girls were reportedly
abducted by Janjawid and government soldiers, raped and severely beaten
before being released. According to an International Rescue Committee estimate,
more than 200 women were raped in one refugee camp in late July and August.
Survivors of sexual and physical assaults often suffer long-term mental
and physical illness, social stigmatization and significant economic hardships.
On August 31, the United Nations Security Council mandated a UN peacekeeping
operation in Darfur -- 20,000 troops and police to provide security for
the region. Sudan is obstructing the deployment. Each additional day without
UN peacekeepers in Darfur women and girls are put at further risk of abduction,
rape and torture. The U.S. administration must redouble its efforts to get
Sudan to admit the UN peacekeepers in Darfur.
Sincerely,
[your name here]
[Amnesty International Group]
[your address and phone number]
