HHRJ

Harvard Human Rights Journal

2022 Symposium

Legislating Abortion: Comparative Legal Perspectives on Statutory Abortion Rights
March 25-26, 2022

Abortion has been treated exceptionally as a matter of international human rights laws and norms. After years of advocacy, public education, and feminist interpretation, international human rights law and norms have evolved and limited the scope of national restrictions. The 2022 HHRJ Symposium will consider the potential U.S. codification of abortion rights in light of experiences from other jurisdictions, making visible the costs and benefits of legislating rights in a politically-divided environment.

The symposium will consist of five virtual panels and a keynote discussion, with in-person viewing opportunities for Harvard Law School attendees, as well as video remarks from United States Senator Elizabeth Warren. This symposium is cosponsored by the Harvard Women’s Law Association.

Select recordings will be available here. For more information on the participants, please see here.

Opening Remarks & Panel 1: Comparative Legislative Approaches

  • Panelists:
    • Professor Paola Bergallo (University of Torcuato Di Tella)
    • Dr. Satang Nabaneh (University of Pretoria)
    • Professor Sally Sheldon (Kent Law School)
    • Professor Cynthia Soohoo (CUNY School of Law)
  • Moderator: Dr. Mindy Roseman (Yale Law School)

Panel 2: Judicial and Constitutional Approaches

  • Panelists:
    • Professor Joanna Erdman (Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University) (see corresponding written contribution here)
    • Melissa Ayala García (GIRE)
    • Dr. Christine Ryan (Global Justice Center)
    • Professor Mary Ziegler (Harvard Law School)
  • Moderator: Professor Rachel Rebouché (Temple University Beasley School of Law)

Keynote Conversation: UN Human Rights Committee and Abortion

  • Speakers:
    • Professor Gerald Neuman (Harvard Law School)
    • Professor Hélène Tigroudja (NYU School of Law, Aix-Marseille Université)
  • Moderator: Dr. Mindy Roseman (Yale Law School)

Panel 3: The Health Systems Perspective

  • Panelists:
    • Dr. Angel Foster (University of Ottawa)
    • Dr. Daniel Grossman (UCSF, Dept. OB-GYN),
    • Dr. Jamie Phifer (Abortion on Demand)
    • Professor Alicia Yamin (Harvard University)
  • Moderator: Professor Rachel Rebouché (Temple University Beasley School of Law)

Panel 4: Social Movements: Mobilization and Countermobilization

  • Panelists:
    • Dr. Mariana Prandini Assis (Federal University of Goiás)
    • Neil Datta (European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights)
    • Dr. Dázon Diallo Dixon (SisterLove/SisterSong)
    • Professor Patty Skuster (Temple University Beasley School of Law)
  • Moderator: Dr. Mindy Roseman (Yale Law School)

Panel 5: United States Law and Human Rights & Closing Remarks

  • Panelists:
    • Professor Martha Davis (Northeastern University School of Law)
    • Elizabeth Nash (Guttmacher Institute)
    • Professor Julie Suk (Fordham Law School)
  • Moderators: Dr. Mindy Roseman (Yale Law School) and Professor Rachel Rebouché (Temple University Beasley School of Law)