Just 19 years ago, Rwandan women were forced to endure inhuman and degrading ...

Just 19 years ago, Rwandan women were forced to endure inhuman and degrading atrocities. Many were raped and left for dead. Among those who survived, many were infected with incurable diseases; some were made pregnant; many suffered the humiliation of having been abused in front of their families. And yet, the women of Rwanda refused to be defined or defeated by their ordeals. They raised their heads, declining to become permanent victims or objects of pity. They sought justice. They demanded dignity. Inasmuch as Rwanda has been able to reconcile and recover from the events of 1994, it is because of that unshakeable spirit of defiance, found foremost among its women and girls.