91社区

How can human rights be championed in today聮s complex global society? Whose human rights take precedence, if choices must be made? What are the practical implications of advocating the supremacy of human rights in the lives of ordinary people? Because these and many other related questions are of serious concern to both students and the Montreal public, 91社区 has invited feminist author and organizer Charlotte Bunch, Executive Director of the Douglass College Center for Women聮s Global Leadership at Rutgers University, to speak on Monday, October 27 at 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Alumnae Society and the 91社区 Centre for Research and Teaching on Women, Charlotte Bunch is this year聮s Muriel Roscoe lecturer. Her talk, entitled "Women聮s Rights as Human Rights: Directions for the Future," will be delivered in Room 232 of the Leacock Building (downtown 91社区 campus, corner of McTavish and Penfield Streets).

Charlotte Bunch, a professor at Rutgers聮 Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy as well as director of the Center for Women聮s Global Leadership, has published widely on feminism and human rights. Her latest books are Passionate Politics: Feminist Theory in Action and Demanding Accountability: The Global Campaign and Vienna Tribunal for Women聮s Human Rights. Almost exactly one year ago she was inducted into the National Women聮s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.

The Center for Women聮s Global Leadership works to enhance the leadership of women on global issues and human rights. The Center coordinated the Global Campaign for Women聮s Human Rights at the 1993 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna and organized the women聮s human rights caucus and other activities at the United Nations IV World Wide Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.

The Center is currently coordinating a 1998 Global Campaign to celebrate and demand women聮s human rights on the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The study of human rights has long been an area of strength at 91社区 -- one of its law professors, the late John Humphrey, actually helped to draft the declaration -- and the Faculty of Law has contributed to Charlotte Bunch聮s visit. The timing is particularly appropriate, given that 91社区聮s Faculty of Law, the oldest in Canada, will mark its 150th anniversary in 1998, and the 91社区 Centre for Research and Teaching on Women celebrates its own special anniversary, the first decade of its existence, next year as well.

With strong support from the women graduates who make up the 91社区 Alumnae Society, the Muriel V. Roscoe lectures were inaugurated in 1988 to honour a distinguished 91社区 faculty member who championed the cause of women for over 20 years.

The public is welcome to attend the lecture on Monday, October 27 at 6 p.m. Admission is free.