Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed a bill Thursday that will require hospital emergency rooms to provide information about emergency contraception (EC) to victims of sexual assault. The bill also mandates pharmacies that do not stock the contraceptive to post a sign notifying the patient that it is unavailable. State Senator Betty Boyd (D), who introduced […]
The 8th Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Union Pacific Railroad’s exclusion of birth control from its health plan does not constitute discrimination against women under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In a 2-1 ruling, the majority wrote that “Union Pacific’s health plans do not cover any contraception used by women […]
The Texas House of Representatives voted yesterday to pass a bill that would overturn Governor Rick Perry’s (R) executive order mandating that all girls entering sixth grade be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV). The 118-23 vote would halt the mandatory vaccination program, which is the first of its kind in the country. An identical […]
Bills introduced in the Senate and House would increase AIDS medical research. Representative Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL) and Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced legislation (HR 1420 and SB 823) that would promote the development of microbicides, topical gels, creams, suppositories, films, and sponges, that may provide effective protection against the sexual transmission of HIV. If […]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved GlaxoSmithKline’s breast cancer drug Tykerb for treatment of women with late-stage breast cancer who have exhausted other treatment options. When taken with the chemotherapy drug Xeloda, Tykerb has been shown to stop the growth of tumors for eight-and-a-half months, while tumors in women who were only taking […]
A bill that would legalize abortion laws in Mexico City is moving through the capital’s city assembly and is expected to pass within months. Currently, Mexico City allows abortion only when a woman’s life is threatened, while the rest of the heavily Roman Catholic country only permits abortion in the case of rape. This new […]
The Kroger grocery chain has pledged to carry emergency contraception (EC) in all its stores and dispense the medication upon request, regardless of objections by individual pharmacists. The statement was issued after a pharmacist in a Georgia store refused to supply Carrie Baker, 42, with emergency contraception, also known as Plan B, which can prevent […]
Prominent Iranian women’s rights leaders Shadi Sadr and Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh remain in jail after being arrested for peacefully protesting on March 4. The women, who were arrested with some 30 feminist activists for protesting the detainment of four other Iranian feminists, have been charged with being a “threat to national security,” the Campaign to Free […]
Three out of every four Liberian women have been raped, a recent survey by the London-based medical aid agency Merlin found. Young girl children are especially at risk. Claire Parker, the reproductive health coordinator at Merlin, estimates that roughly 50 percent of the nation’s reported rape victims are younger than twelve years old, The Independent […]
Portugal’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to liberalize the country’s abortion laws on Thursday. Currently, a woman can obtain an abortion in the first 12 weeks if her health is at risk, in the first 16 weeks if the pregnancy is a result of rape, and at any time during the pregnancy to save a woman’s life. […]
Legislation has been introduced by Democrats in both the House and the Senate that would achieve a withdrawal from Iraq by 2008. President Bush has already indicated that he would veto any such bills if they were to pass, claiming that a withdrawal date would weaken military efforts, the Washington Post reports. The House version […]
Women’s rights activists in Iran participated in protests yesterday commemorating International Women’s Day, despite recent detainments of Iranian feminists. News sources are offering conflicting reports of yesterday’s activities. The Los Angeles Times reports that about 50 peaceful protestors were “quickly confronted and overwhelmed by riot police, including dozens of young female officers wearing bright green […]
Over 6,000 women and men from around the world gathered in New York for the 51st annual meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The central theme of the two-week-long meeting, which will end tomorrow, is “the elimination of discrimination and violence against the girl child.” More than 200 young people attended […]
Iran released all but three women’s rights activists who were detained on Sunday for peacefully protesting the imprisonment of four other activists. More than 30 protestors were arrested for gathering outside Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, where four other women were on trial that morning for protesting Iran’s laws that discriminate against women. The four women are […]
Today is International Women’s Day, a global day of celebration for women and girls everywhere. Celebrate today by taking action, giving the gift of Ms. magazine, donating Ms. magazine to women in need, or supporting the Feminist Majority Foundation. LEARN MORE Visit the International Women’s Day website to learn about actions and events happening around […]
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) notified federal authorities that he plans to turn down $600,000 in federal abstinence-only education funding. Wisconsin has received the federal funding since 1997, but new guidelines tying the money to abstinence-only education programs were implemented this year. These guidelines include that students be taught that sexual activity outside of marriage […]
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Other Programs held a hearing last week on US programs to combat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) across the world. Subcommittee Chair Nita Lowey (D-NY) opened the hearings by noting the advancements and accomplishments the US has made, and how increased funds in 2007 and 2008 will […]
A landmark case was heard by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Friday, in which a domestic violence victim is filing an individual complaint against the US for international human rights violations. Jessica Lenahan (formerly Gonzales) lost her daughters, Rebecca, age 10, Katheryn, age 8, and Leslie, age 7, when her estranged husband abducted […]
A group of Iranian feminist activists were arrested on Sunday outside a court in Tehran where they were peacefully protesting the detainment of four other activists. Thirty-three protestors were arrested after gathering outside the court to show their solidarity with the four women who were facing trial for their activities protesting Iran’s laws that discriminate […]
The Department of Education has withdrawn a proposed revision to state-reporting guidelines that would have reduced state accountability for gender equity in vocational education. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 requires states to collect important data – including information about gender – about programs using federal money to monitor their […]
