Emily Duecker - Catalyst

The reality of women’s rights in Latin America: Guatemala and Law 5272

April 17, 2022April 15, 2022 Emily Duecker

On March 8th, Guatemala’s congress passed the Life and Family Protection Law (Law 5272) with an overwhelming majority of 101 to 8 with 51 not present. While the bill still needs to be signed by the president, it would impose some of the harshest punishment for abortion among any Latin American country.

Wh you should care about McGirt vs. Oklahoma

March 20, 2022 Emily Duecker

The decision made in McGirt v. Oklahoma means that a large portion of land in eastern Oklahoma, 43% to be exact, belongs to the numerous native nations in the area and therefore the state does not hold any jurisdiction to prosecute crimes in the area. Many celebrated the decision as historic in the sense that it not only affirmed the boundaries of the reservation but also confirmed the sovereignty of tribal governments and their inherent right to governance. Others point to the massive strain this decision has placed on tribal and smaller federal courts who remain largely unequipped to handle the influx of violent crime.

The True Price of Gold: The Implications of Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon

December 3, 2021December 4, 2021 Emily Duecker

In early October, two young Indigenous boys drowned while playing on the banks of a river in the Amazon River Basin. At face value, this story stands as a tragic accident. Nonetheless, it is representative of a much darker reality: the impacts illegal gold mining has had on the Indigenous people and their land.

A Dangerous New Silence: The Implications of Turkey Withdrawing From the Istanbul Convention

April 20, 2021November 10, 2021 Emily Duecker

The ratification of one treaty may not have a significant impact on the overall status of women in society, but withdrawal from that same treaty, especially one as central as the Istanbul Convention, is a clear sign of deteriorating women’s rights

A Struggle For Acceptance: The Lingering Impacts of Colonialism on the LGBQT+ Community in Africa

April 8, 2021November 10, 2021 Emily Duecker

The current restrictions on both the rights and protections of the LGBTQ+ community as seen with the closing of the centre in Ghana only contribute to a climate of intolerance and enforces colonial-era ideas on the norms of sexuality.

Honduras’ “Shield Against Abortion”: A Black Mark in Latin America’s Green Wave

March 8, 2021November 10, 2021 Emily Duecker

Constitutional change in Honduras stands out in the “green wave” of pro-choice campaigning currently taking Latin America by storm. The advancement of anti-abortion legislation in Honduras threatens to undermine any regional progress.

#EndSARS and Nigerian Feminism

November 27, 2020November 10, 2021 Emily Duecker

Throughout history, countless women have played major organizational and leadership roles in major social movements, however, their names rarely hold as much historical significance compared to their male counterparts. This is not a result of lesser contributions on the women's part but rather reflective of the biased structure of social movements that foster clear gender distinctions and hierarchies.

Electoral Unrest in Kyrgyzstan

November 1, 2020November 10, 2021 Emily Duecker

Kyrgyzstan has a reputation of being one of the only countries in central Asia to have a semi- democratic government. Despite this, the country is no stranger to political unrest: in the past 15 years, two presidents have been overthrown by revolts, and recent developments in the ongoing situation hint there could be a third.