--- title: "OBOS Global Symposium Spotlights Challenges to Securing Health, Human Rights" date: 2012-01-04T18:05:53-05:00 author: OBOS Admin canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/obos-global-symposium-spotlights-challenges-to-securing-health-human-rights" section: Blog (Archive) --- [Donate](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/donate) [From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# OBOS Global Symposium Spotlights Challenges to Securing Health, Human Rights By junetsang • January 4, 2012 Please note: This entry -- originally posted at [Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog) -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above. *This article was recently published in OBOS's winter newsletter. [View the full newsletter](https://assets.ourbodiesourselves.org/documents/Winter2011newsletter.pdf "Winter 2011-2012 newsletter").* * * * **“I did training for more than 5,000 women across the country, and all their stories and all their experiences are in *Our Bodies, Ourselves*. Along with the stories and political activism, we started brokering power at the personal as well as at the political level. As of this moment, we have something to celebrate.”** Those words were spoken by [Renu Rajbhandari](http://www.worecnepal.org/ "WOREC Nepal"), a prominent women’s rights activist in Nepal, during our 40th anniversary symposium, [Our Bodies, Our Future: Advancing Health and Human Rights for Women and Girls](/40thanniversary.asp "Our Bodies Our Future symposium speakers and information"), on Oct. 1. Co-hosted with Boston University, the event marked four decades of activism and celebrated our evolution from a small group around a kitchen table in the United States to a vibrant network of social change activists *at the table* in countries around the world. Held in conjunction with the release of the ninth edition of "[Our Bodies, Ourselves](/publications/obos2011/default.asp "Our Bodies, Ourselves")," the symposium was also an opportunity to meet 12 of our global partners, including Renu, and listen to their extraordinary journeys of [claiming and transforming this landmark book](/global-projects/ "OBOS Global Initiative: Book Projects") for the women and girls of their countries. Renu referred to the effort as a “transcreation.” Many women talked about the cultural, political and social challenges to their activism and the relationships and networks they have built in order to effect change. ([View videos](http://www.youtube.com/user/ourbodiesourselves?feature=watch#g/c/21193CA7E013C735 "YouTube: 40th Anniversary Symposium: Our Bodies, Our Future") from symposium, including the global panels.) The book’s impact and legacy was described by many speakers, including local luminaries. In a [video welcome](http://www.youtube.com/user/ourbodiesourselves?feature=watch#p/c/21193CA7E013C735/5/83gaQGlm0Ow "YouTube: Governor Deval Patrick"), Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick recalled how he was 15 years old when "Our Bodies, Ourselves" was first published; it was considered “racy,” yet filled with information that made him “a better person, and certainly a better partner.” [Robert Meenan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP32bFAYgYo "YouTube: Robert Meenan's welcome"), dean of Boston University School of Public Health, offered a formal welcome, followed by an all-star cast of women’s health advocates, including [Byllye Avery](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vFcuV4aCAg "YouTube: Byllye Avery"), founder of the Avery Institute for Social Change and the Black Women’s Health Imperative, and [Adrienne Germain](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNbHJ5XX4aU "YouTube: Adrienne Germain"), president emerita of the International Women’s Health Coalition. Marie Turley, executive director of the Boston Women’s Commission, brought greetings from Mayor Tom Menino, who had declared Oct. 1 Our Bodies Ourselves Day in the city of Boston. These terrific presenters, and our energetic emcee, [Jaclyn Friedman](http://www.jaclynfriedman.com/ "Jaclyn Friedman's website"), executive director of Women, Action and the Media and a contributor to the new edition, spoke about the personal impact "Our Bodies, Ourselves" has had on their lives and the important role played by organizations like OBOS in realizing health equality and human rights, while at the same time reminding the audience of the sizeable challenges ahead. They symposium paid tribute to the [14 OBOS founders who changed the world of women’s health](/about/history.asp "Our Bodies Ourselves history") 40 years ago. [Sam Morgan Lilienfeld and Judah Rome](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zfw0aKpUJw "YouTube: Sam Morgan Lilienfeld and Judah Rome"), sons of deceased founders Pamela Morgan and Esther Rome, shared memories of their mothers – not only as feminist moms, but as powerful and positive role models. “My mom viewed birth as an experience that has the power to change and define the life of a woman,” Sam said, “and her spirit of embracing and celebrating these major life events, which we sometimes may welcome and sometimes greet with trepidation, is something I’ve always admired.” In his remarks about Esther completing the manuscript of "Sacrificing Ourselves for Love" just before her death in 1995, Judah said: “Watching my mom through the final months of her life was very painful for me, but it taught me how to live.” He told the audience he had hoped that her legacy would live on, adding, “I can tell from the energy in the room that it does.” Our courageous global partners have used "Our Bodies, Ourselves" to develop and bring culturally unique health and sexuality information to their own communities. In addition to the challenges they encounter, they also discussed their success negotiating with power brokers – from men and matriarchs in the family, to religious leaders and heads of institutions. Their [stories of transformation](http://www.youtube.com/user/ourbodiesourselves?feature=watch#g/c/21193CA7E013C735 "YouTube: 40th Anniversary Symposium: Our Bodies, Our Future"), in Tanzania, Turkey, Japan, Israel, Serbia, India, Nepal, Senegal and Latin America, were reminiscent of the journey taken by OBOS founders 40 years ago. The parallel between the two groups of women was palpable and confirmed that not only has the book gone global, but it continues to inspire movement building by and for women and girls in every region of the world. [Loretta Ross](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNNQrlamRMI "YouTube: Loretta Ross closing keynote"), national coordinator of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, closed the day, firing up the audience by reminding everyone of the very real threats to women’s reproductive and sexual rights in the United States and around the world. Even so, she said the global partners’ activism and their use of the human rights framework made her “excited and optimistic” about the future. As the day started with reminiscences of the 1960s and 70s, it ended with a freshly-stoked fire in the belly. OBOS is at the forefront of changing the lives of women and girls and will continue this work in the U.S. and around the world -- into the next 40 years and beyond. *June Tsang is the program associate for the Our Bodies Ourselves Global Initiative* --- #### 0 Response Our Bodies Ourselves is no longer able to accept comments. ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics - [Activism & Resources](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/activism-resources) - [Books](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/books) - [Feminism & Gender](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/feminism-gender) - [Global News](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/global-news) - [OBOS Global Projects](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/obos-global-projects) - [Our Bodies Ourselves](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/our-bodies-ourselves) - [Our Bodies Ourselves - OBOS 40th Anniversary](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/our-bodies-ourselves-obos-40th-anniversary) ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** - We rigorously evaluate all content - We embrace a reproductive justice framework - We don’t accept ads or sell products - We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry - We counter misinformation and disinformation - We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality [read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us) Share [](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)