USFSP Women's HERStory Month Event -- Keynote Speaker from UKIM -- Professor Karolina Ristova-Aasterud

The USFSP Center for Civic Engagement, the USFSP chapter of Planned Parenthood Generation Action, and my Women and Law class hosted an event as part of Women's HERStory Month International Women's Day celebration.

For the event, we hosted Keynote Speaker from Macedonia, esteemed Professor of Jurisprudence

Karolina Ristova-Aasterud from UKIM (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje)

"Defending Women's Reproductive Rights and Freedoms: The Curious Case of the Macedonian Abortion Law of 2013"

As a complement to the Keynote Speaker, my students presented research posters about women's reproductive rights in the US and Europe and several community partners (Planned Parenthood, NOW, Business and Professional Women of St. Pete/Pinellas) tabled at the event.

USF St. Petersburg shared pictures of the event here: Link to USFSP post about the HERStory Month event

Pictures of Prof. Karolina's lecture:

I welcomed guests on behalf of the Center for Civic Engagement, thanked our event co-sponsors, and introduced my students to the attendees

Ms Filkowski, President of USFSP Planned Parenthood Generation Action introduces the Keynote Speaker

What a beautiful memento from Macedonia! The USFSP PPGA group thanks you, Prof. Karolina

And I will treasure this memento in my office. Thank you for the Thank you gifts!

Community partners tabled at the event:

The Business and Professional Women of St. Petersburg/Pinellas:

attendees learned more about BPW St Pete/Pinellas -- including more about the upcoming Unhappy Hour and their scholarship program

For more about BPW St. Pete/Pinellas, see http://new.bpwstpetepinellas.org/

For more about the Unhappy Hour and why it is observed, see http://new.bpwstpetepinellas.org/unhappy-hour-for-equal-pay-day/

And -- this event was featured on the BPW website and "Step Into Our Shoes Newsletter":

http://new.bpwstpetepinellas.org/3934/bpw-st-pete-pinellas-attended-international-womens-day-event-hosted-by-usfsp/

Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood Generation Action:

VR Goggles provide attendees with the opportunity to experience what it is like accessing a women's health care clinic

 For more about Planned Parenthood, see https://www.plannedparenthood.org/

We were also joined by NOW.  For more about the National Organization for Women - NOW - see https://now.org/

Student Poster Presentations:

Students in my Women and the Law seminar presented posters about women's reproductive rights in the US and Europe at the event. I was so pleased that they could share their research results with other students, faculty, and the community:

The Constitutionality of TRAP Legislation in Texas and Florida

The Affordable Care Act and Access to Contraception: Burwell v Hobby Lobby (2014)

Abortion Rights in Europe: Case Study of Religion and Abortion Access in Ireland - and Landmark Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights

Reproductive Freedom in Europe

The Constitutionality of Abortion Access for Minors

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Indigent Women's Access to Abortion in the US: Landmark Cases of the Supreme Court of the United States

I really enjoyed listening to my students share their research with members of the community

 

After the event we took Prof. Karolina on a brief tour of our beautiful waterfront campus:

with Heba of the USFSP Center for Civic Engagement - thanks for all your help making this event a success!