TAG: contraception

The confinement of Eve: resolving Ebola, Zika and HIV with women’s bodies?

There are parallels between three major newsworthy viruses, Ebola, HIV and Zika, in relation to the global public health response and persistent and often toxic gender stereotypes. The pattern is clear: as a new global health crisis erupts, women are placed at the centre of impact. In some cases, women are held responsible for preventing […]

African Commission Calls on Uganda to Ensure The Right to Legal Abortion and Access to Reproductive Health Services

The government of Uganda should stop impeding access to medical abortion and reproductive health services, according to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights—a regional body charged with ensuring African states comply with their human rights obligations under regional and international human rights treaties.

The sexual politics in February 2016

In February, there were good news to report from both Haiti and Europe. In the case of Haiti, the Penal Code reform is underway and the draft document approved by a committee of juridical experts includes a provision that legalizes abortion on the basis of public health concerns and freedom of women. Although this is […]

The Incidence of Abortion in Nigeria

Because of Nigeria’s low contraceptive prevalence, a substantial number of women have unintended pregnancies, many of which are resolved through clandestine abortion, despite the country’s restrictive abortion law. Up-to-date estimates of abortion incidence are needed.

Pope and Patriarch Misrepresent the True Meaning of Secularism and Seek to Impose their Beliefs on Others

Catholics for Choice On his way to Mexico, Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic church, met with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for the first time since the schism of the two religions in the 11th century. They signed an interreligious joint declaration that was supposed to solidify their shared Christian values, but instead the […]

Philippines accountable for violations of women’s rights – UN CEDAW Committee

The UN CEDAW released its findings on its inquiry on Manila EO 003 and E0 030, finding the Philippines accountable for grave and systematic violations of women’s rights under the CEDAW Convention. This is only the second inquiry conducted under Article 8 of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW and the first on sexual and reproductive […]

Iran birth drive ‘turns women into baby-making machines’

Draft laws aimed at boosting the birth rate in Iran reduce women to “baby-making machines”, the rights group Amnesty International warns. One proposal outlaws voluntary sterilisation and promoting birth control, while another makes it harder for women without babies to get jobs. Amnesty says the two laws would set women’s rights in Iran back by […]

Pope Francis’ Remarks About Birth Control ‘Methods’ Offend Pro-Choice Catholics

by Martha Kempner January 21, 2015 – 1:15 pm Pope Francis, on his way home from his visit to the Philippines this week, raised eyebrows when he said that Catholics don’t have to have so many children: “Some think, excuse me if I use the word, that in order to be good Catholics, we have […]

The Latest Study on Depo-Provera and HIV: Far More Complex Than Most Headlines Suggest

by Emily Bass January 12, 2015 – 5:47 pm A newly published study by Lauren Ralph et al and an accompanying commentary in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases is stirring up questions about the relationship between Depo-Provera, and other progestogen-only injectable contraceptives, and the risk of HIV acquisition among HIV-negative women. Based on a meta-analysis […]

Kenyan women living with HIV file petition against forced sterelization

Women Living with HIV & their Lawyers Issuing a Press Statement after Filing their Case Picture By: KELIN/Regina Mwanza 1.0 BACKGROUND Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV (KELIN) and Africa Gender and Media Initiative Trust (GEM) together with five women living with HIV have filed two petitions dated 9 December, 2014 […]

Obama’s Evangelical Gravy Train

The Nation‘s article underlines the gaps between Obama’s administration promises to cut funding to discredited HIV and pregnancy prevention programs in Uganda and the ongoing financing of anti-gay, anti-choice conservative religious groups. Read it.

U.S. Supreme Court Lets Private Companies Deny Birth Control Coverage to Employees

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing private companies to deny their employees insurance coverage for birth control under the Affordable Care Act’s preventive health provisions designed to greatly expand affordable health care services for all women in the U.S. The decision prompted strong reactions from human rights organizations underlining that it violates women’s […]