Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 22nd Conference
“FIGO is dedicated to the improvement of women’s health and rights and to the reduction of disparities in healthcare available to women and newborns, as well as to advancing the science and practice of obstetrics and gynecology.” - FIGO Mission Statement
The FIGO conference, which takes place every 3 years, is an opportunity for professionals from around the world to gather together to discuss research and issues pertaining to women’s health and reproductive rights.
Attendees & Content Presented:
Nicole Acero
NYU College of Arts & Sciences Senior
Associate Director of Research
“Sugar Dating in the United States: A Literature Review” (oral presentation)
Watch Nicole’s Presentation Here
Sonya Chemouni Bach
NYU Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Graduate
Associate Director of Research
“Perceptions of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) among a Population of Female Survivors of Torture ” (poster presentation)
Brian Goddard
2nd year NYU Medical Student
Research Assistant, EMPOWER Clinic Team Leader
“Medical needs of patients in the EMPOWER Clinic for Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Sexual Violence” (oral presentation)
Diana Mora
NYU College of Arts & Sciences Senior
Research Assistant, Healthcare Access Team Leader
“Access to Healthcare During Sex Trafficking” (oral presentation)
Watch Diana’s Presentation Here
Reflections from Our Attendees:
Why was presenting at FIGO a rewarding experience?
“… I felt fortunate to be able to learn about the latest research on topics such as female genital cutting and abortion through experts from around the world. Seeing that others around the world are also fighting for women’s rights through medicine has encouraged me to continue the path I am on for the rest of my career.”
- Nicole Acero
What was unique about presenting at FIGO?
“FIGO was an exceptional opportunity. I was excited and proud that we were able to take part in and contribute to such a large-scale international conference. Not only did I see no other undergraduate students there, but I realized how unique our research was and how much interest it garners, notably with sex-trafficked populations and sugar dating.… Most importantly it inspired me to continue pursuing a career in medicine and research.”
- Sonya Chemouni Bach
What did you learn from attending FIGO?
“... There were so many fascinating talks going on that it was difficult to choose which ones we wanted to attend each day and many of them were relevant to the lab’s study of sexual and gender-based violence. We learned a lot from the other physicians and researchers and were glad to also be able to share our research with them.”
- Brian Goddard
Why was presenting at FIGO important?
“…Presenting at this conference made me realize that speaking about sex trafficking to an international audience is very important because many of them are service providers. Despite the many great presentations at the conference, I found that there was a lack of discussion around combating trafficking. I hope that my presentation got some of the audience thinking about the importance of having these discussions.”
- Diana Mora
