Workshop on Reproductive Rights

Human Rights Cell, Symbiosis Law School, Pune in collaboration with Human Rights Law Network

The Human Rights Cell of Symbiosis Law School, Pune in collaboration with Human Rights Law Network, is conducting a one-day workshop on Reproductive Rights on the 23rd of March, 2013 at 11.30 am in the Vishwabhavan Auditorium, S B Road.

The objective of this workshop is to spread the awareness of reproductive rights, its possible legal remedies and encourage the discussion over some of the grey areas in this field.

Reproductive rights are a new and developing field in India. India has the world's highest number of maternal deaths. The coercive population control policies, limited access to medical care and non-implementation of government schemes continues to violate women's fundamental rights throughout India. Litigation has served as one component of a larger campaign for reproductive rights in India. Human Rights Law Network, a collective of lawyers and social activists dedicated to the use of the legal system to advance human rights in India and the sub-continent has the only reproductive rights-focused legal initiative in the country.

The workshop will begin with the screening of documentary film ‘Made in India’which talks about the human experiences behind the ‘rent-a-womb’ industry in India that has led to the development of what is called reproductive tourism. This shall be followed by the panel discussion on ‘Surrogacy and Reproductive Rights’.

The panelists are Vaishali Sinha, the producer and director of the film, and Kerry McBroom, Director of the Reproductive Rights Initiative at HRLN. Vaishali has worked as a researcher and an editing associate for filmmaker Richard Wormser at Videoline Productions. She has also worked for non-profit organizations in India promoting women’s voices and has studied film at the New School University in NY. Vaishali uses filmmaking as a platform to explore and discuss socially sensitive issues. She is from Mumbai, India and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Kerry McBroom has done her BA in International Human Rights and served as a legal assistant for the ICTY in 2008. She has done her JD from Washington College of Law and is currently residing in New Delhi.