2020
Eglė Janušonytė
- Age: 27
- | She/her/hers
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We, young people, have the power to bring a change and lead the gender equality movement. There is no health without reproductive health. Thus, the involvement of healthcare students in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights is not a possibility but rather a necessity. Let's stand together and work towards communities where everyone is free to exercise their reproductive rights without experiencing stigma or discrimination.
- Eglė Janušonytė
Bio
Eglė Janušonytė was born and raised in Lithuania. She is currently working toward a degree in medicine at Vilnius University. Eglė is a Liaison Officer for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Issues including HIV and AIDS and Vice President for External Affairs at the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, Healthcare Professionals board alternate at The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, and Advocacy Lead at The PACT.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
Growing up in a society that does not put gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights at the center and where stigma to address them is still prevalent, I wish to act for all the Lithuanian women who do not speak up and lead advocacy from young people’s side, aiming for complete achievement of sexual and reproductive health and rights in Lithuania.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
I lead the development of a number of policy documents on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including representing more than 1.3 million medical students. I have also represented the views of future healthcare professionals at events such as ICPD+25 and UN Commission on the Status of Women, organizing side events with a focus on gaps in medical education in regards to SRHR. Moreover, I have held three workshops on women's reproductive health and access to safe abortion to medical students worldwide, providing them with tools and supporting their efforts to advocate for SRHR in their communities.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy traveling, reading books, and listening to opera music, as well as attending performances.
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
- Lithuanian (Advanced/Native)
- French (Intermediate)
- Italian (Elementary)
- Lithuanian (Advanced/Native)
Publications:
- Forward, Together: A Collaborative Path to Comprehensive Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Our Time
- Forward, Together: A Collaborative Path to Comprehensive Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Our Time
- The Political, Research, Programmatic, and Social Responses to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the 25 Years Since the International Conference on Population and Development
- Adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights: a stock-taking and call-to-action on the 25th anniversary of the international conference on population and development
Speaks On:
- safe abortion
- meaningful youth engagement
- youth participation and leadership
Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:
- Family Planning 2020 and IYAFP course Be Your Best Advocate (2020)
- Research clerkship in South Korea (2020)
- AMEE Students Taskforce (2019)
- Professional Exchange Fellowship Program in France (2018) and Netherlands (2019) concerning reproductive health
- Online Essential Leadership Skills Workshop by International Federation of Medical Students Associations (2018)
- International Peer Education Training with focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights by International Federation of Medical Students Associations (2017)
- Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health boardAlternate of Healthcare Professionals Constituency
- Selected for participation in Lithuania Big Brother professional mentorship program
- Vilnius University Scholarship
