Transformative Potential of Law: "Legislation Can Be a Catalyst for Progress in Reproductive Matters"
The global landscape of abortion rights is constantly evolving, with political movements and legal norms shaping the preservation or limitation of fundamental rights such as the right to terminate pregnancy. This is a topic that will be explored in depth at the upcoming Symposium on Reproductive Rights hosted by Sciences Po's Gender Studies Programme and Law School on 6 December 2024.
Helena Alviar García and Marie Mercat-Bruns, the symposium's organisers, emphasise the importance of this event in the current global climate. The symposium aims to analyse and study local and transnational challenges, and to strengthen possibilities in difficult times when extreme right parties are gaining ground in limiting women's freedom to control their bodies.
The symposium will bring together academics from universities in France, Italy, Argentina, Austria, Colombia, and Poland, providing a comparative perspective on law. Key discussions will centre around comparative legal frameworks regarding reproductive rights across different countries and regions, the impact of laws on women's reproductive autonomy and access to healthcare, and the intersection of reproductive rights legislation with transgender rights.
The symposium will also evaluate human rights standards relating to reproduction and gender equality, develop policy recommendations to enhance legal protections for women and transgender individuals globally, and share best practices and challenges in advancing reproductive justice through the lens of comparative law.
Beyond individual choices about procreation, there are structural inequalities in access to contraception, healthcare, work-life balance, and equal opportunity globally. The symposium will also delve into these issues, highlighting gaps and protections in various legal systems, and offering insights into how law can be an instrument for transformative change, but can also infringe upon fundamental rights or mask unchanged realities for disenfranchised groups.
The symposium follows a significant development in the United States, where 2024 ballot measures supporting abortion rights passed in seven states, while in Nebraska and South Dakota, a majority of votes rejected the amendments; in Florida, the 57% majority of votes proved insufficient due to the state Constitution's requirement for more than 60% of the vote. In response to this, France introduced an amendment to its Constitution on 8 March 2024, acknowledging that legislation determines the conditions in which women are free to terminate their pregnancy.
The 2023 Edition of the Symposium on Reproductive Rights in Europe was headed by Hélène Périvier and Hazal Atay. For any specific inquiries, contact presage@our website.
[1] [5] The available search results do not provide specific information about the 2024 Sciences Po Symposium on Reproductive Rights focused on comparative law and its impact on women's and transgender rights worldwide. However, this inference aligns with the general focus of Gender Studies at Sciences Po and international discussions around reproductive rights, but specific details about the 2024 symposium's agenda or outcomes are not found in the search results. If you need precise information, checking official Sciences Po announcements or their Gender Studies program website after the event date might provide the full program and proceedings.
Marie Mercat-Bruns stated that reproductive rights are crucial for understanding issues of gender equality, privacy, and freedom to control one's body. She also noted that on 11 April 2024, the European Parliament adopted a resolution to include the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter, but unanimous agreement by all 27 member states is required for the right to a "safe and legal abortion" to be included in the legally-binding charter.
American Professor Reva Siegel observed that legal restrictions on abortion have reflected and entrenched customary, gender-differentiated norms, punished women for sexual activity without holding men commensurately responsible, and used law to coerce, but not to support, women in childbearing. This underscores the importance of the upcoming symposium in examining the role of law in shaping reproductive rights and gender equality.
Lack of enforcement of social rights and intersectional discrimination require a closer look at the way rights are interpreted and implemented in different contexts. The symposium will provide a platform for such discussions, offering valuable insights into the complexities of reproductive rights and the need for robust, equitable legal frameworks.
- The symposium, focusing on reproductive rights, will delve into the intersection of reproductive rights legislation with women's health and health-and-wellness, as well as transgender rights, aiming to analyze and study local and transnational challenges in these areas.
- In line with the mission of Sciences Po's Gender Studies Programme, the symposium will examine the role of science in shaping reproductive rights and gender equality, exploring the impact of scientific advancements on women's health and reproductive autonomy.
