Miss Gemma McKenzie LLB. Hons., LLM, PgCert, MPH, (she/her)

Gemma has an undergraduate degree in English and German laws and postgraduate degrees in International Human Rights Laws and Public Health. She also has a post graduate certificate in Bioethics and has passed the Bar Vocational Course (professional legal qualification required to be a barrister).

Prior to commencing her PhD, Gemma worked in family law and taught English and European Union law at universities in the UK and throughout Central Europe. She also worked at the College of Policing on projects largely pertaining to women’s issues and human rights such as Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), domestic abuse, and stalking and harassment. She has also worked and volunteered at various third sector organisations in the UK and abroad and is currently a volunteer at AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services).

Gemma’s current research investigates women’s experiences of freebirthing in the UK (intentionally giving birth without midwives or doctors present). She is particularly interested in whether/how women are able to exercise their legal rights to autonomy and bodily integrity during pregnancy and childbirth. Related to this, she is also exploring the phenomenon of obstetric violence.

Research interests:

• Freebirth
• Law, ethics and sociology of pregnancy and childbirth
• Obstetric violence
• Poetic Inquiry
• Voice Centred Relational Method

 

Research profile