Rugile Butkeviciute comes to Women and Gender Studies (WGST) from Lithuania, where she grew up appreciating cozy streets of historical old town in a geographical center of Europe. Rugile is a lawyer and a feminist for more than 10 years working on issues of gender equality in the Women’s Issues Information Centre. For more than 6 years, Rugile served as an expert with European Women’s Lobby Observatory Against Violence Against Women. On a daily basis, Rugile consults survivors of domestic violence in a specialized support center in Lithuania. She also provides training on various issues in connection with gender equality and human trafficking.
Rugile got her Master of Business Law in Mykolas Romeris University in Lithuania. Currently, Rugile is doing her fellowship with the IREX Community Solutions Program, supported by the U.S Department of State. Her field of interest is women and gender studies. Upon her fellowship, Rugile will help WGST with organizing events/activities, build and strengthen sustainable professional networks with international colleagues and institutions in the U.S, learn about services for victims of sexual violence (methodologies, referral systems, promotion of services), create one training program on early prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) and promotion of healthy relationship, and write a weekly journal about her experience in WGST.
During her free time Rugile enjoys exploring cultural cuisines and listening to personal stories..