UNA Pasadena to Host Discussion on Women’s Rights in Misogynistic Times

The United Nations Association (UNA) Pasadena Chapter will host a discussion titled “Women’s Rights in Misogynistic Times” at 6:00 pm Sept. 16, 2026, at the Maxwell House, 55 S. Grand Ave., Pasadena.

By News Desk

The free event will also be livestreamed. Registration is available through the event’s online form.

Congressmember Judy Chu will deliver prerecorded welcoming remarks. UNA Pasadena Chapter board member Jennifer Hall Lee will lead a discussion with her friend and colleague, Dr. Munazza Yaqoob, who will participate virtually from Islamabad, Pakistan.

The conversation will address gender in politics, reproductive rights, social and religious norms, and global patriarchy. Lee and Yaqoob have worked on women’s rights in Pakistan and the United States for more than 13 years.

“Dr. Yaqoob and I have worked on the rights of women in Pakistan and the United States for over 13 years. Now, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the time is right for a public discussion about the status of women’s rights in both countries,” Lee said.

Yaqoob said discussions about women’s rights must also examine the norms and traditions that sustain misogyny.

“Then we can build solidarity in order to create change,” Yaqoob said.

UNA Pasadena Chapter President Danny Peterson said the discussion will provide an opportunity for participants to listen across cultures and learn from one another.

“These discussions are especially important because they allow us to listen across cultures, learn from one another, and better understand both the progress that has been made and the work that remains,” Peterson said.

The UNA Pasadena Chapter supports Sustainable Development Goal 5, which calls for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

Lee and Yaqoob previously collaborated on “Women Beyond Borders: A Visual Study of Women’s Lives in Pakistan.” The exhibit was created in 2023 and displayed at Pasadena City College in summer 2024. It was funded in part by the UNA Pasadena Chapter and Pasadena City College.

Street parking will be available for attendees. Admission is free, although donations are welcome.