Jean Symes

Jean is Deputy Executive Director of Inter Pares. Jean also works with Inter Pares’ Economic Justice team, where she is responsible for policy analysis and program development on extractive industries, corporate accountability and gender. She previously worked on the pan-Africa program, and for over a decade in Inter Pares’ Latin America program, focusing on refugees and internally displaced people, and bringing a feminist perspective to human rights protection. During that time, Jean developed Inter Pares' programs in Peru and Colombia, including its first programs on peace-building, and on sexual violence against women in the context of war.

She has also served as Inter Pares Program Coordinator, and as Director of Communications.

Prior to Inter Pares, after several years in the financial sector, Jean worked in human rights promotion and monitoring, and social policy development.

Jean is past-Chair of Project Counselling Service, an international NGO based in Latin America supporting displaced populations in conflict and post conflict. She is currently the Chair of the Canary Research Institute for Mining, Environment and Health, on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of MiningWatch Canada.