past media summaries

April 1-15, 2008

PUSH JOURNAL MEDIA SUMMARY
April 1-15, 2008

HIV & AIDS
House Approves $50 Billion AIDS Bill: On April 2, several media outlets reported that the U.S. House of Representatives voted 308-116 to more than triple funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), raising it to US$50 billion over the next five years. Of that, $41 billion will go to treatment for about 1.45 million people living with HIV, preventing 7 million new infections and providing care for 10 million people, including orphans and vulnerable children. Democrats were not entirely pleased with the bill, in part because it left intact the “prostitution pledge” that requires groups receiving funds to have a policy explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking. "For all its strengths, the bill before the House today is not perfect," said Rep. Howard L. Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Read: The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Agence France Presse, The Guardian (London)

South African Bishop Defies Vatican: On April 10, U.S. News & World Report interviewed Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg, South Africa, on his work fighting the AIDS epidemic. Dowling oversees nine clinics that treat nearly 1,000 adults and children with lifesaving antiretroviral drugs and disagrees with the Vatican’s ban on condoms. “[T]he South African government distributes them for free everywhere,” Dowling said. “I've spent my time building relationships with nurses and community leaders who know how to communicate, especially to teenagers. We give them full, accurate, and nonjudgmental information about HIV -- what it is, how you get infected, its consequences, and what ways you have to protect yourself, including information about condoms.” Dowling was on a U.S. trip before the Pope’s visit to urge Congress for more hospice funding for dying AIDS patients. Read: U.S. News & World Report

Brazil Fights New AIDS Battle: On March 15, The Economist reported that Brazil, one of the world’s success stories in fighting the AIDS epidemic, is seeing a new trend in infection rates. Although the total number of cases remains low, at just 0.6 percent of the population, the disease has spread from an all-male disease to infecting all demographics. Officials said policies would need to be reexamined as a result, to ensure that infection rates stay low. Brazil has been insisting on condom use and providing free AIDS treatment, while the NGO community has publicized the cause and held federal and local governments to their promises. Read: The Economist

Women With HIV Keep It Secret: On April 2, Cox News Service reported that a new survey by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR) found that one in five American women is uncomfortable with having an HIV-positive female friend. Fear of contracting the disease, the belief that HIV/AIDS is a result of promiscuity or immorality, and the severity of the disease all contribute to the stigma surrounding HIV. Advocates also said the fact that most sex education programs are strictly about abstinence contributes to the stigma. "The federal government prevents sexual education other than abstinence in some states, which is fine, but many young people think vaginal sex is the only real kind of sex. We need to redefine what this abstinence is. We have a lot of re-educating to do," said Regan Hofmann, editor in chief of POZ Magazine, a publication for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Read: Cox News Service

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS
Chilean Court Stops Pill Distribution: On April 5, the Associated Press reported that the Chilean Constitutional Court has stopped a government program that provides the emergency  contraception pill to women and girls as young as 14. The program, designed by Chile’s first female president Michelle Bachelet, was aimed at bringing equality to Chilean women. The program has been very controversial, with much opposition from conservative groups. "Poor women will not have access to the pill now," said presidential spokesman Francisco Vidal. Read:Associated Press

European Lawmakers Debate Abortion: On April 15, the Associated Press reported that a new report by The Council of Europe is calling for the decriminalization of abortion throughout the continent. The controversial report stated that criminalizing abortion does not reduce abortion rates but increases the rate of unsafe, clandestine abortions that can result in injury or death. "The right to decide is a matter of a woman's integrity...A ban means we're avoiding the issue. It means traumatized women and health risks," said Austrian Socialist lawmaker Gisela Wurm, who drafted the report. Read: Associated Press

Health Database Blocked “Abortion”: On April 9, The New York Times and NPR reported that POPLINE, the world's largest database on reproductive health, has been blocking searches using the word "abortion" since late February. POPLINE is run by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID has a policy that doesn’t provide funding to any international groups that provide or refer women elsewhere for abortions. USAID claims it did not ask POPLINE to block the word abortion. The restriction was put in place because of controversial articles from A, the Abortion Magazine, put out by advocacy group Ipas. “We are disappointed," said Anu Kumar of Ipas. "We know that 40 million abortions take place every year and nearly 20 million of them are unsafe. Women are literally dying while we're dithering about these words." Read: The New York Times, NPR

U.S. Catholics Differ on Key Issues: On April 14, Voice of America News reported on surveys finding that a majority of U.S Catholics differ from the church on key issues. The National Survey of Family Growth found that 97 percent of U.S. Catholics have used modern contraception. The National Catholic Reporter shows that 58 percent believe they do not have to follow the teachings of their bishop on abortion. Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, said the Pope should pay attention to these findings. "I hope that he uses the opportunity of being here in the United States to hear from people about some of the difficulties, some of the problems, and the challenges that we face in the Catholic Church," he said. Read: Voice of America News

Bill Requires Ultrasound Prior to Abortions: On April 2, the Associated Press reported that the Florida House had approved a bill that would require a woman to receive an ultrasound scan before she can have an abortion. Supporters said the bill protects women’s health, while critics said it is just one more obstacle for women seeking abortions, and that only a doctor should decide if an ultrasound is necessary. "I'm disappointed we would spend this kind of time on something that is none of our business," said Rep. Joyce Cusack. Read: Associated Press

Christian Group Sues Google: On April 9, the Daily Mail (London) reported that The Christian Institute is suing the search engine Google for refusing to place an advertisement for the group that would be displayed every time someone searched for “abortion.” Google said it refused the group because it has a policy of declining sites that mix the issue of abortion with religious views. Google does accept ads for abortion clinics, secular pro-abortion sites and secular sites that attack religion. Read: Daily Mail (London)

One in Three Swazi Women Sexually Abused: On April 9, the UN Integrated Regional Information Network (Kenya) AAGM reported on a new study by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) finding that one in three Swazi women was sexually abused as a child, while one in four experienced physical violence. Often abusers were boyfriends or relatives and most did not use condoms, heightening the risk of spreading HIV. "Disabled children, children out of school and orphans are some of the most vulnerable groups," said Jama Gulaid, UNICEF representative in Swaziland. "Poverty and the high prevalence of HIV create high numbers of marginalized children." Read: UN Integrated Regional Information Network (Kenya) AAGM

Most Czechs Oppose Abortion Ban: On March 31, CTK National News Wire reported that a new poll found that 71 percent of Czechs are against any restrictions on abortion. Twenty-five percent of people would like to limit the right to abortion in some way: eight percent would ban abortion without any exceptions, while 11 percent would allow it only in the case of rape. Sixteen percent would allow it only if the mother or child suffered from serious health troubles. Last year, more than 25,000 abortions were performed in the Czech Republic, compared to more than 109,000 in 1990. Read: CTK National News Wire

U.S. Forensic Firm to Aid Kenyan Rape Cases: On April 1, Agence France Presse reported that New York-based Global Options Group Inc. and its analysis wing, Bode Technology, will provide forensic DNA services to the Nairobi Women's Hospital and a local firm to examine sexual abuse during violence that followed the disputed December 27 elections. Kenyan police said roughly 1,200 women have been raped but advocates and human rights groups said the true figure is likely much higher. "It's extremely rewarding to use our DNA analysis capabilities to help the people of Kenya have a more secure future and to provide an avenue to address past crimes," said Ed Huffine of Bode Technology. Read: Agence France Presse

SAVING WOMENS LIVES
Alliance Aims to Help Poor Women: On April 13 and 14, Agence France Presse and The Irish Times reported that a new high-powered alliance of women from government, faith-based organizations, advocacy groups and Hollywood, called The Women, Faith and Development Alliance (WFDA), has pledged US$1billion to help poor women all over the world. WFDA has enlisted widely recognizable advocates to the cause, including Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Queen Noor of Jordan, former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright, and UNFPA executive director Thoraya Obaid. "Women and girls in poverty are not asking for new rhetoric or promises. They want action that will mean something in their daily lives and have a ripple effect with governments, multilateral institutions, and other organizations," Albright said. Read: Agence France Presse, The Irish Times

UN Development Goals May Not Be Met: On April 10, Reuters reported that a recent report discussed in the British medical journal The Lancet found that many countries are not on track to meet the UN MDG’s of reducing child mortality by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters by the target date of 2015. Sixteen countries are on target to meet the child mortality goals, but many countries, including 12 in sub-Saharan Africa, have not seen any progress since 1990 or have actually lost ground, according to the report. The study, conducted by UN agencies and independent researchers, is entitled Countdown to 2015: Tracking Progress in Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival. Read: Reuters

WOMEN’S EQUALITY
Bangladesh Aims for Women’s Equality: On March 1, IRIN reported that the government of Bangladesh is taking action to eliminate discrimination against women in its laws and culture despite opposition from influential clerics. “The issues of disparity between men and women in society would be abolished by giving proper importance to socio-economic contributions of the women and giving equal opportunities to women and the girl child,” said Rasheda Choudhury, an adviser to the country’s Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. “As laid out in the NWDP, the government will initiate a process to abolish all laws that discriminate against women.” Read: IRIN

Group Says Sex Education is Against Islam: On April 8, the Hindustan Times (New Delhi) reported that the Islamic Fiqh Academy (IFA), the apex body that interprets Islamic law, has stated that sex education goes against Islam. But Akhtarul Wasey, head of the department of Islamic Studies at the National Islamic University (Jamia Millia Islamiya), disagreed. "Sex education within decent limits cannot be incompatible (with Islam),” she said. “Two seminal books…written almost a century ago have already underscored the importance of sexual health for Muslim women." said. Read: Hindustan Times

UN Fund for Women Under Fire: On April 9, the Associated Press reported that DAWN, a network of Third World researchers, activists, and policymakers working for gender justice, has accused the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) of bowing to political pressure and picking a Spaniard, Ines Alberdi, a former member of the Madrid Assembly, to become director the agency instead of more qualified applicants. Spain is the UNIFEM’s largest contributor. DAWN said that six applicants were interviewed and that Dr. Gita Sen, one of UNIFEM’s founders, was an outstanding applicant who was not given proper consideration. Read: Associated Press

Cambodia Bans Foreign Marriages: On April 14, Voice of America News reported that the Cambodian government has suspended foreign marriages due to a high number of brokered unions involving poor, uneducated women. Most of these marriages are arranged by brokers who charge clients up to $20,000 for each bride. Typically, $500 to $1,000 goes to the bride’s family and the brokers take the rest of the money. "I want our government (to) have one department to investigate the guy before agree(ing) the foreigner (can) marry to our Cambodian (women)," said Srey Roth, director of the Cambodia Women's Crisis Center. "They should know about the background and living situation and then tell our girl and then our girl can make the decision if they want to marry or not." Read: Voice of America News

EDITORIALS and COLUMNS: On April 7, Melrose Free Press published an opinion piece by Cristina Page, author of How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics and the War on Sex, on where the Christian right goes wrong in the battle against abortion. Page said that while the Christian right insists on tactics like abstinence-only sex education and abortion restrictions, the United States has seen no change in abortion rates. Page also pointed out that the countries with the lowest abortion rates make abortion legal, safe and accessible. “The danger of policies guided by ideology is that the means often are the end. There is no better example of the deleterious effects of policies based on wishful thinking than in the reproductive rights debate. We need to respect people's ability to make their own life decisions and not impose our values and views upon them.” Read: Melrose Free Press

On March 2, Courtland Milloy of The Washington Post wrote a column about the latest findings on sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States and the need to thoroughly examine sexual education practices nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta recently released findings that one in four U.S. teenage girls has an STI, and that the rate is 48 percent among teenage African American girls. The Annals of Internal Medicine recently added  that among girls screened; one in four has HPV, a leading cause of cervical cancer. Read: The Washington Post
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The above summary is produced by the Communications Consortium Media Center, 401 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20004, 202.326.8700. Redistribution is encouraged with credit to CCMC.

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past media summaries