past media summaries

April 1-15, 2010

PUSH JOURNAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS APRIL 1 – 15, 2010

TOP STORIES

Maternal Mortality Declines: Multiple media outlets published articles, blogs and op-eds April 12-15 on findings in The Lancet that the global maternal mortality rate has declined nearly 40 percent, from 523,600 in 1980 to 343,000 in 2008. Lancet editor Richard Horton said, “The overall message, for the first time in a generation, is one of persistent and welcome progress.” The study found maternal mortality lowest in Italy, where the rate is 3.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births – half the 1990 rate – but rising in the United States and in areas where HIV/AIDS infection is high. The Columbia Journalism Review criticized media reports on a discrepancy between The Lancet study findings and another recent finding that maternal mortality rates have remained steady. It also criticized media focus on Horton’s allegation that some women’s health advocates had pressured him to delay publication so as not to undermine pending conferences. Read: Columbia Journalism Review, The New York Times, Huffington Post, IPS, Xinhua, The Guardian (April 13) and The Guardian (April 12)

States Take Up Abortion and Health Care Reform Measures: Multiple media outlets reported April 5-13 that with health care reform now federal law, the fight over funding for abortion has moved to the states. The new law allows states to “elect to prohibit abortion coverage in qualified health plans offered through an Exchange in such State if such State enacts a law to provide for such a prohibition.” Read: Newsweek, Business Week, Wall Street Journal, CBS

Clinton, Liberals Challenge Canada’s PM on Maternal Health: Multiple media outlets reported and published columns and editorials March 31-April 9 on calls by Michael Ignatieff, leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to join other leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in supporting a full range of reproductive health services in the G8’s maternal health initiative. The Ottawa Citizen argued that the Canadian government ''should take Clinton's prod on maternal health as a sign that the initiative is too important to get wrong.” Read: Kamloops Daily News, Canwest (April 8) Sault Star, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Citizen and Canwest

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ARTICLES AND OPINIONS BY SUBJECT

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Community Support Strategies for Maternal Health: The Lancet published an article April 3 by Zulfiqar Bhutta and Zohra Lassa on recent studies of community-based strategies to build demand for maternal and newborn health services. “Future strategies to improve maternal and newborn survival need to integrate community-based strategies and facility-based care,” Bhutta wrote. Women’s and community support groups also improve other health outcomes, including maternal mental health, the article said. Read: The Lancet

Peru Reforms Improve Rural Maternal Health: PBS reported March 31 on the Peruvian government’s efforts to make childbirth safer for women in rural areas. The strategy includes maternity waiting homes for women who would otherwise have trouble getting to health facilities, and changes in facility rules to allow women to use traditional birthing practices. Read: PBS

Debate on Economic Growth And Population Growth in Africa: The Guardian published a blog on March 24 by Anne Perkins criticizing a recent claim by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation that Africa is “underpopulated” and that exploitation of mineral resources will spur economic growth. Perkins argued that while population growth may contribute to economic growth in the long term, current fertility rates are too high to lead to social stability or sustained development. Read: The Guardian

Kenyan Columnist Criticizes Religious Leaders in Abortion Debate: The Nation published a column by Rasnah Warah on April 11 calling Kenya “a nation of hypocrites” for the debate over the Constitution’s treatment of abortion: “The battle for or against abortion has never been about the unborn child or the sanctity of life, but about who controls women's bodies.” The Nation

U.S.: Studies Link Drop in Birth Rate to Recession: NPR reported April 8 that studies by the Pew Research Center and the National Center for Health Statistics have found declines in overall and teen birth rates, finding them closely correlated with economic changes such as foreclosures and unemployment rates. Read: NPR

U.S.: Abortion Likely Central to Supreme Court Fight: The Wall Street Journal reported April 9 on the likely centrality of abortion in upcoming Supreme Court confirmation hearings. The article focused on the record of Judge Diane Wood, a likely nominee. Read: Wall Street Journal

U.S.: Nebraska Votes to Restrict Abortion Rights: ABC reported April 6 and the Associated Press reported April 14 that Nebraska’s legislature and governor approved bills that would make abortion illegal after 20 weeks gestation on grounds that fetuses can feel pain at that point. The measure would also require women seeking abortions to be screened for risk factors that could lead to mental or physical health problems afterward. Read: Associated Press, ABC

U.S.: Nevada Supreme Court to Hear “Personhood” Appeal: Women’s eNews reported April 5 that Nevada’s Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal by advocates for an amendment to the state’s constitution that would include the line, "In the great state of Nevada, the term 'person' applies to every human being," thus granting constitutional rights to fetuses. A federal judge earlier rejected the initiative as too vague. Read: Women’s eNews  

U.S.: Tiller Murderer Sentenced to Life in Prison: NPR reported April 1 that Scott Roeder, who was convicted of murdering Kansas women’s health provider Dr. George Tiller, was to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years. Read: NPR

Women’s Equality

Plan to Establish UN Gender Agency Awaits Member States: Media Global reported April 8 that the establishment of a UN agency to address gender issues awaits a vote by member states. Common Ground News published a an op-ed March 30 by Hibaaq Osman, Founder and Chair of Karama, calling for appointment of an Arab woman to head the new agency. Read: Media Global and Common Ground News

---

past media summaries