International Women’s Day – Global Perspectives on Women's Rights: Legal Challenges and Protections in Colombia, Nepal, South Korea, and Mexico
In honor of International Women's Day, the WLC co-sponsored the “Lawyers Around the World” panel, in collaboration with Northwestern’s Office of International Programs.
Lawyers Around the World (LATW) is a program designed to highlight the diverse legal and academic experience and expertise within Northwestern's LLM program through student-led presentations.
The LATW panel focused on the role of women in law across Colombia, Nepal, South Korea and Mexico, exploring how the legal system in their respective countries protect—or fail to protect—women’s rights, with attention to key precedents, legislation, and bills. Moderated by Daniela De la Cruz (JD'25), the panel featured valuable insights from Susana Pachon (LLM-IHR) of Colombia, Asmita Dhakal (LLM-IHR) of Nepal, Christiane Lee (Tax LLM) of South Korea, and Andrea Montante Trujillo (WLC LLM Representative) of Mexico.
In many ways, legal systems, cultural expectations, geographic and economic factors shape women’s experiences. To help us understand these dynamics, the panel began with an overview of each of the countries. The panelists explained how women fit into the broader legal and social landscape in terms of political participation, access to justice, and societal perceptions.
Across the world, legal systems are evolving– sometimes in ways that expand protections for women, but other times in ways that reinforce systemic barriers. The panelists shared key developments in their countries related to femicide, explaining how femicide is legally defined and prosecuted in their respective countries and the ongoing challenges in addressing this critical issue. The panelists also explored the various forms of violence women endure, including physical, economic, and vicarious violence, as well as psychological abuse, dating and marital rape, and other forms of harm. They discussed how the law responds to these different types of violence and the challenges women face in seeking justice and protection. Finally, the panelists discussed various areas of law that aim to address the diverse challenges women face, including efforts to redistribute domestic and care work, empower women in the workforce, protection for indigenous women and women with disabilities, elimination of VAT on sanitary products, and access to education.
Beyond the troubling statistics, the panelists highlighted that women’s experiences are shaped by more than just their sex. Race, class, gender identity, and other intersecting factors create unique barriers that women face in different countries. The discussion reinforced the importance of sharing perspectives and advocating for stronger protections for women worldwide. This panel emphasized the need to use our privileged space at Northwestern to amplify these critical conversations and work toward meaningful change.
Written by Andrea Montante Trujillo.
Andrea is an LL.M. candidate at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and currently serves as the WLC LL.M. representative. She also serves on the LL.M. Committee and as the LL.M. representative for the Tax Law Society.