Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association and

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

present

Women’s Human Rights Speaker Series

Advocating for Women and Children in Central Asia:

Using Human Rights to Combat Domestic Violence

Mary Ellingen and Laura Nelson

Staff Attorneys, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

Tuesday, February 13, 2007, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Briggs and Morgan, Minnesota Room

2200 IDS Center, 80 S. 8^th St., Minneapolis

Application will be made for one CLE credit.

Minnesota Advocates has recently completed reports on domestic violence in Tajikistan and the Republic of Georgia.  Legal reform and social justice movements are in a dynamic period in Central Asian countries as they continue to transition from the Soviet era.  The public dialogue on violence against women and on child abuse is just beginning in these countries.  The presenters will discuss the reports’ findings and the process of using a human rights methodology to study domestic violence and advocate for reform.

Mary Ellingen is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and was a long-time volunteer with the Women’s Program before joining the staff in 2006.  She has traveled to Poland, Tajikistan and the Republic of Georgia with Minnesota Advocates and assisted in documenting and writing reports for each country.  She is one of the authors of The Government Response to Domestic Violence Against Refugee and Immigrant Women in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area: A Human Right Report, published by Minnesota Advocates in 2004.  Ms. Ellingen is admitted to practice in Minnesota.

Laura Nelson has conducted fact-finding on violence against women in Bulgaria, the Republic of Georgia and Tajikistan.  She has a B.A. in Political Activism: A Study of Law and Human Rights from the University of Redlands - Johnston Center and graduated from University of Minnesota Law School in 2003. Prior to her work at Minnesota Advocates, Ms. Nelson was a Law Clerk for the Honorable Kathryn L.Quaintance of the Fourth Judicial District in Minnesota. Ms. Nelson is admitted to practice in California and Minnesota.

Free and open to the public (registration required).  Please RSVP to Tina at shouareau@briggs.com or 612-977-8126 by Friday, Feb. 9^th.  Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP. 

This is one in a series of lunchtime speakers dedicated to improving awareness of women’s human rights issues.  Please join us the second Tuesday of April, June, August, October and December for additional presentations.  For more information, contact Mary Hunt at Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, mhunt@mnadvocates.org or 612-341-3302, ext. 107, or see our website at www.mnadvocates.org.