past media summaries

February 16-28, 2010

PUSH JOURNAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS FEBRUARY 16 – 28, 2010

TOP STORIES

Spanish Senate Approves Abortion Reforms: The Associated Press reported February 25 that Spain’s Senate approved a bill reforming abortion laws. Under the new legislation, abortion will be available without restriction up to 14 weeks gestation for women age 16 or older. Read: Associated Press

Obama Presents Health Care Language on Abortion: Multiple media outlets reported and published blogs and op-eds February 22–24 reporting on the continuing struggle over abortion coverage in health care reform. President Barack Obama published a reform proposal ahead of a televised bipartisan summit on the issue; his plan would partition public and private funds in relation to abortion services, a provision similar to one passed by the Senate. Read: The Wall Street Journal, Fox Newsand Newsweek

UN to Focus on Gender-Based Violence: IPS reported February 18 that the high prevalence of gender-based violence around the world would be a priority issue at the March session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the UN’s primary policy-making body on gender issues. The meeting was set to address progress and setbacks for the Platform for Action adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Read: IPS (February 25) and IPS (February 18)

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ARTICLES AND OPINIONS BY SUBJECT

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Clinton Reaffirms ICPD: VOA published an editorial February 22 on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent address reaffirming U.S. support for the goals of gender equity, sexual and reproductive health as defined in the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Read: VOA

Family Planning Access Saves Lives, Money: The Guardian (UK)published a blog February 26 by Sarah Boseley citing “Adding It Up,” a recent report by The Guttmacher Institute and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, which found that family planning services can help reduce maternal mortality. Read: The Guardian

Abortion Providers in South Dakota Come From Elsewhere: The Washington Post reported February 26 on a Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood clinic that is South Dakota’s only facility providing elective abortions and is staffed by out-of-state physicians. Read: Washington Post

Philippines Distributes Contraceptives Despite Church Opposition: The Philippine Inquirer reported February 24 that the country’s Department of Health announced it would continue a condom distribution despite strong opposition from the Catholic Church.

Uganda Community Health Workers May Provide Contraceptives: IPS reported February 23 that Uganda was considering a program to deploy community health workers to provide injectable contraceptives, filling a gap left by a shortage of skilled providers in health care facilities. Read: IPS

South Carolina Should Restore Family Planning Funds: The Herald-Journal (Spartanburg SC) published a column by Susu Johnson on February 21 calling for South Carolina to restore state funding for family planning services on the ground that such measures can save taxpayers’ money. Read: The Herald-Journal

Rwanda Stands Out in Health MDG Progress: Africa Renewal reported February 18 that while much of Africa was making sluggish progress toward the Millennium Development Goals related to health, Rwanda was likely to reach and possibly surpass the goals of reducing 1990 child and maternal mortality rates by three-quarters by 2015. Read: Africa Renewal

Pregnancy and Childbirth Remain Perilous in Haiti: The Miami Herald reported February 19 on the dangers faced by pregnant women following the January 12 earthquake, as millions of Haitians remained displaced and without access to adequate health care. Read: The Miami Herald

New Approach Needed for U.S. Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Newsday published an op-ed February 17 by Joseph Puccio, chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center, calling for increased attention to evidence-based approaches to combating teen pregnancy. Read: Newsday

Activists Urge EU to Fight FGM/C: IPS reported February 17 on efforts by health and rights advocates to make ending female genital mutilation/cutting a priority for European governments. Read: IPS

Kenya’s Constitution May Criminalize Abortion: Alternet published a blog by Gillian Kane of Ipas on February 16 criticizing a provision in the current draft of Kenya’s Constitution that would criminalize abortion and declare that life begins at conception. Read: Alternet

Family Planning Could Improve Maternal Survival in East Timor: VOA reported February 16 on efforts by family planning advocates to engage the Catholic Church in the promotion of birth spacing to combat East Timor’s high incidence of infant and maternal mortality. Read: VOA

New Circumcision Method May Help Prevent HIV/AIDS: The Associated Press reported February 15 on the ShangRing, a device to perform male circumcisions requiring less work by health professionals than traditional circumcision surgery. Male circumcision has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission. Read: Associated Press

Nicaragua Refuses to Reconsider Abortion Ban: IPS reported February 16 that despite accepting many recommendations of a report by the United Nations Human Rights Council on improving women’s rights, Nicaragua refused to allow exceptions to its total ban on abortion. Read: IPS

Women’s Equality

Cardin Pushes International Violence Against Women Act: The Baltimore Sun published an op-ed February 19 by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a cosponsor of the International Violence Against Women Act, calling on his colleagues to support the bill. It would combat violence against women and promote women’s economic activities. Read: The Baltimore Sun

Equality Remains Elusive for American Women: The Washington Post published an op-ed February 21 by Jessica Valenti, cofounder of Feministing.com and author of The Purity Myth, arguing that “We have no problem condemning atrocities done to women abroad, yet too many of us in the United States ignore the oppression on our doorstep.” Read: Washington Post

Girls’ Health Kits Could Improve School Attendance in Kenya: The New York Times reported February 16 on a project to provide supplies to girls in Kenya to reduce school absence due to menstruation. Read: The New York Times
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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