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December 1-15, 2009

PUSH JOURNAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS December 1 - 15, 2009

TOP STORIES

Women’s Health, Rights and the Climate: Multiple media outlets reported and published op-eds and columns December 1-11 on links between reproductive health and climate change that were highlighted in the 2009 State of The World Population report by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. Report author Robert Engelman said any agreement on global warming that comes from COP-15, the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 7-18, must address the impact of climate change on women, as a matter of equality and human rights. Read: Boston Globe, News & Observer, Voice of America, India Today

Family Planning Access Can Reduce Infant, Maternal Deaths: Multiple media outletsreported December 3-13 on the impact of access to family planning on maternal and infant health. Health experts discussed the negative impact of Bush-era policies denying U.S. funding for family planning services on women’s and children’s health in Africa. In addition, UNFPA and The Guttmacher Institute released Adding It Up, a report on the impact of access to family planning on maternal and child health. Read: McClatchy, The Daily Champion, Reuters

Abortion And Health Care Reform: Multiple media outlets reported and published editorials, op-eds, columns, and letters to the editor December 1-15 on the treatment of abortion in debates over health care reform. The Senate rejected an amendment proposed by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) to require women receiving federal subsidies for health insurance to purchase additional coverage for abortion. It echoed a measure proposed by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) that was passed by the House of Representatives. Read: The New York Times, NPR (December 15), Seattle Times, US News, The New York Times (December 9), Associated Press (December 9), CQ Today (December 7), Wall Street Journal, Associated Press(December 7 – b.), Associated Press (December 7-a.), NPR(December 3), Associated Press (December 2), The Guardian, The New York Times, and New York Magazine

EU Human Rights Court Hears Challenge To Irish Abortion Ban: The Sunday Business Post (Ireland) reported December 13 and The Independent (UK) published a column by David McKittrick andreported December 10 that the European Union Human Rights Court heard a case challenging Ireland’s abortion ban. ‘‘It is well accepted in human rights law that criminalisation of abortion per se harms women’s rights and health," said Julia Kay, who is representing the plaintiffs in the case. “Criminalising or neglecting health care that was needed only by women constituted sex discrimination.” Read: The Sunday Business Post, The Independent and The Independent

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ARTICLES AND OPINIONS BY SUBJECT

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Uganda Bans FGM/C: CNN reported December 12 that Uganda’s parliament had banned female genital mutilation/circumcision (FGM/C). It instituted a penalty of ten years in prison for convicted offenders or a life sentence in cases where the procedure leads to girls’ deaths. Read: CNN

Survey Finds Gaps in Safe Sex Knowledge, Behavior Among U.S. Youth: CNN reported December 14 that a survey on young people’s knowledge about sexual behavior by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy found that many lacked accurate information about how to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy. Read: CNN

In Afghanistan, Early Marriage Contributes to Pregnancy Risks: IRIN reported December 11 that early marriage and childbearing are common in Afghanistan, contributing to the country’s high levels of maternal mortality. Read: IRIN

British Think Tank Proposes Birth Control As CO2 Offset: The Guardian reported December 2 on a proposal by Optimum Population Trust to allow carbon offsets to purchase contraceptives for poor women. The program, called PopOffsets, “understands the connection'' between population increase and climate change, said trust director Roger Martin. "Individuals, companies and organisations will have the opportunity to offset their carbon voluntarily by supporting projects to provide family planning services where there is currently unmet demand.” Read: The Guardian

HIV/AIDS

Microbicide Gel Found Ineffective In Preventing AIDS: The New York Times reported December 14 that a recent trial of a microbicide gel for women found it to be ineffective in preventing HIV/AIDS infection. The microbicide, PRO 20000, was shown to be highly effective in laboratory tests, but had no significant impact on infection rates among women participating in its first human trial. Read: The New York Times

Africa Fights AIDS With Male Circumcision: CBS reported December 1 on campaigns to promote male circumcision in the fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, because the practice has been found to reduce risk of transmission during heterosexual sex. Read: CBS

Women’s Equality

Obama Must Address Violence Against Women: The Huffington Post published a blog by Rahim Kanani, a research associate in justice and human rights at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, on December 9. Kanani argued, “in accepting the Nobel, Obama must spearhead a bold and unprecedented initiative aimed at one of the most pervasive human rights violations of the 21st century: violence against women and girls worldwide." Read: The Huffington Post

Report Finds Donors, Government Ignoring Women’s Rights In Afghanistan: IPS reported December 7 on a report by Human Rights Watch finding that women’s rights has received little attention from the Afghan government or international donors, leaving women’s dire situation largely unchanged since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of the country. Read: IPS

Faith-Based Organizations Ask for Increased Aid for Women: The Age (Melbourne, Australia) reported December 1 on an effort by members of the Parliament of the World’s Religions to address gender inequity. ''If the faith communities brought their faith to bear on public policy we would change the world overnight,” said Sister Joan Chittister, chair of the Global Peace Initiative of Women. Read: The Age

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