past media summaries

November 1-15, 2009

PUSH JOURNAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER 1-15, 2009

TOP STORIES

Abortion Remains Central To Healthcare Debate: Multiple media outlets reported and published op-eds, editorials and blogs November 1–15 on the controversy over restrictions on abortion funding in the health care reform debate in Congress. The House of Representatives passed a reform bill that included the Stupak amendment, which places severe restrictions on women’s access to comprehensive women’s health care services, regardless of whether they are covered by public or private insurance. The Stupak amendment replaced the previously adopted Capps compromise, which stated that no federal funds would be used to pay for abortions not allowed by the Hyde amendment that prohibits federal funding for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or to protect the life of the woman. The Senate will consider its own version of the health care reform bill next.

In an interview with ABC, President Obama said of the House provision, “this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill. And we're not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.” President Obama added, “There needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we're not changing the status quo. And that's the goal.” The New York Times termed the restriction “an infringement of a woman's right to get a legal medical procedure and an unjustified intrusion by Congress into decisions best made by patients and doctors.” Read: Associated Press, Politico, The New York Times, (November 12) ABC, Salon, NPR, The New York Times (November 10), Los Angeles Times, Women’s eNews, Washington Post (November 5), Huffington Post , Washington Post (November 4), The New York Times (November 4), The New York Times(November 3), Chicago Tribune, and USA Today

Report: Women Face Health Care Discrimination Worldwide: AFP (France) and Xinhua (China)reported November 9 on “Women and Health,” the first assessment of women’s access to health care around the world, published recently by the World Health Organization. The report found that while women provide the majority of health care, both in formal facilities and at home, they are ill-served by health systems in many parts of the world. "It's time to pay girls and women back, to make sure that they get the care and support they need to enjoy a fundamental human right at every moment of their lives; that is, their right to health," said WHO Director General Margaret Chan. Read: AFP and Xinhua

Falling Fertility: The Economist published two features October 29 as part of the week’s cover story on the world's declining fertility rates, arguing, "The bad news is that the girls who will give birth to the coming, larger generations have already been born. The good news is that they will want far fewer children than their mothers or grandmothers did." It added, “Falling fertility may be making poor people’s lives better, but it cannot save the Earth. That lies in our own hands." Read: The Economist and The Economist

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ARTICLES AND OPINIONS BY SUBJECT

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Bangladesh Maternal Mortality Is High, But MDG 5 is Within Reach: The Dhaka Courier published an editorial November 12 arguing that while most of the indicators for measuring progress toward Millennium Development Goal 5 are lagging, progress toward other health-related goals and a substantial decline in the country’s maternal mortality ratio indicate that Bangladesh may still achieve the goal. MDG 5 calls for a 75 percent reduction in the 1990 maternal mortality ratio by 2015.

Activist Says “Women’s Health Equals Global Health”: RHRealityCheck.org published a blog November 9 by Jane Roberts, cofounder of the 34 Million Friends of UNFPA campaign, arguing for a new approach to global health, built on a commitment to women’s health and rights. Read: RHRealityCheck.org

Water Is Key To Reducing Maternal Mortality: Women's eNews reported November 5 on the links between clean water and women's health, especially improvements in maternal health. Water access is among the issues as the international reproductive health organization EngenderHealth launches a fellowship program with Ashoka, an Arlington, VA-based organization that promotes social entrepreneurs, to improve maternal health in the world's poorest nations. Read: Women's eNews

Agencies Launch Campaign Against FGM/C in Uganda: The New Vision reported November 5 that UNFPA and UNICEF launched a campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation/cutting in Uganda by 2012. Read: The New Vision

Brunei Meets MDG 4 and 5 and Women’s Quality of Life is High: Brunei FM reported November 3 that according to a report by government ministers to a meeting of the Asean Committee on Women (ACW), Brunei has achieved MDGs 4 and 5, which target major reductions in child and maternal mortality. It succeeded largely because of its provision of free health care and ongoing efforts to promote gender equality, the report said. Read: Brunei FM

"Personhood" Advocates Continue Fight Against Abortion Rights: Newsweek reported November 3 on the persistence of abortion rights opponents in pursuing so-called "personhood" amendments in several states. The amendments seek to grant full citizenship status and constitutional rights to fertilized eggs. "Personhood amendments are a gamble; they could take years to pass,” the article said. “But if they eventually do, the payoff is big: a challenge to Roe that those in the movement believe could outlaw abortion. So activists are apt to compare their mission to those of civil rights and women's suffrage, both of which endured through decades of failed attempts to change the law." Read:Newsweek

past media summaries