PHA-Exch> “Top Ten Wins for Women’s Health and Rights in 2007”

[Claudio Schuftan]

Dear Friends,

As 2007 nears its end, the International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC)
announces the release of the "Top Ten Wins for Women's Health and Rights in
2007" (attached).  Over the course of the year, global donors, international
agencies, and influential private foundations realized that investing in the
health of women and young people is investing in the world.  From new
commitments to sex education programs to progress on securing a women's
right to abortion, these ten developments show that women's health was a
priority concern in 2007, and will continue to require our attention and
dedication in 2008.

Thanks to IWHC's supporters and allies, we can add an 11th "win" for women's
and young people's health.  In 2007, IWHC made 81 grants to organizations in
Africa, Asia, and Latin America that work to promote the sexual and
reproductive health and rights of women and young people.

For the complete list of wins and more information about how IWHC and its
partners worldwide are working to achieve even greater progress in 2008,
please visit http://ww <http://www.iwhc.org/resources/toptenindex2007.cfm>
w.iwhc.org/resources/toptenindex2007.cfm. As we transition into the new
year, we ask you to join IWHC and our partners to ensure that the
commitments are honored and women and young people everywhere experience a
healthier and more just world.







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*Page 1*

*TOP TEN WINS FOR WOMEN'S*

*HEALTH AND RIGHTS IN 2007*

*1) GLOBAL HIV INITIATIVES PRIORITIZE WOMEN*

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria decides to develop
gender policy to

encourage and support national AIDS control programs to invest in girls and
women.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#1)

*What's next…*How will these commitments play out? The Global Fund has
created senior

positions, "gender champions," within the agency, and UNAIDS' Global
Coalition on Women

and AIDS has a new director, whose charge includes integrating concern for
gender throughout

the agency.

*2) HEALTH AND RIGHTS TRUMP ABORTION BANS*

Mexico City's legislature legalized abortion, making it the largest Latin
American city to allow

abortion. In the first 100 days following legalization, doctors performed
some 1,500 legal

abortions with no fatalities, compared to an estimated 3,500 deaths from
unsafe abortion in the

year before legalization.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#2)

*What's next...*More governments must act. African leaders have called for
"political

commitment" to curb unsafe, illegal abortions, and Brazilian President
Ignacio Lula Da Silva

labeled unsafe abortion a public health issue.

*3) MATERNAL DEATHS MADE A GLOBAL PRIORITY*

Global donors pledge new funds to end more than half a million deaths and 10
million

injuries—annually, including $1 billion over ten years from Norway, $175
million over three

years from the Netherlands, and $200 million over five years from the United
Kingdom*.*

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#3)

*What's next...*More investment is needed. The Global Health Council
estimates that each $100

million invested will prevent 12,000 maternal deaths and provide basic
medical care for four

million women.

*4) "ABSTINENCE-ONLY" GETS A FAILING GRADE, AGAIN*

Two new reviews of "abstinence-only" sex education found no evidence of the
effectiveness of

this approach in preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections,
including HIV.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#4)

*What's next... *Public pressure is growing for the U.S. Congress to stop
wasting taxpayer money

on ineffective programs and start providing adolescents with the information
they need to stay

healthy.

*5. **NIGERIA** SUPPORTS SEXUAL RIGHTS*

Under pressure from a coalition of NGOs, the Nigerian Parliament rejected an
anti-gay bill,

citing concerns over possible human rights violations and recognizing its
encouragement of far-

reaching discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#5)

*What's next... *Despite heated opposition, more countries are expected to
support sexual rights.

In 2001 the Netherlands became the first country to allow same-sex marriage.
Since then, five
 ------------------------------

*Page 2*

other jurisdictions have legalized gay marriage: Belgium, Canada, South
Africa, Spain, and the U.S. state of

Massachusetts.

*6. STATES ENSURE ACCESS TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION*

Several states, including Connecticut, Oregon, and Colorado mandated
hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, to inform

sexual assault survivors about emergency contraception (EC) and make it
available upon request.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#6)

*What's next...*Countries around the world are holding the line to ensure EC
availability. In Chile, the government

instituted fines against pharmacies that refuse to sell EC. To date, the
government has fined nearly 100 pharmacies a total

of $300,000 for failing to provide EC.

*7. **NEW HAMPSHIRE** RESPECTS THE RIGHTS OF MINORS*

In June, New Hampshire repealed a law requiring health care providers to
notify parents at least 48 hours before providing

an abortion to a woman under the age of 18. Alaska followed suit in November
when its State Supreme Court declared a

similar law unconstitutional.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#7)

*What's next...*Recognition of the rights of young people is growing
worldwide. The Convention on the Rights of the

Child recognizes young people's rights to make decisions according to their
evolving capacity but these rights are widely

violated.

*8. SEX EDUCATION IN **INDIA** GOES NATIONAL*

Faced with an estimated 2.5 million HIV cases, India's national government
recommended twice weekly sex education

classes for students 14 to 18.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#8)

*What's next...*Will state governments gut the initiative or follow through?
Twelve of India's 29 states have banned sex

education in their schools, saying that the curriculum is too explicit in
conflict with "culture." In Maharastra state, the

Indian teachers' union condemned the ban as a "retrograde step" and has
continued to teach the curriculum.

*9. MORE **U.S.** STATES MANDATE PRESCRIPTION EQUITY*

Oregon joins 26 other states in requiring that health insurance plans
include contraceptives in prescription drug coverage.

Many insurers refuse to cover contraception, even though they cover drugs
like Viagra. Supporters say the bill, which

goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, will affect nearly 1.5 million women.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#9)

*What's next...*The outcome of the 2008 presidential election could impact
women's health priorities, including

contraceptive coverage, at the federal level. Since 1997, Congress has
failed to pass the federal Equity in Prescription

Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act, despite bipartisan support. The
next President should push through this health

policy, which has been stalled in Congress for a decade.

*10. SCIENTISTS ADVANCE WOMEN-INITIATED HIV PREVENTION*

PATH, a nonprofit research group based in Seattle, recently designed a
cheaper and improved female condom, which is

the only female-initiated method to prevent sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) and pregnancy and allows women

greater control over safe-sex negotiations.

(For more: http://www.iwhc.org/resources/topten2007.cfm#10)

*What's next...*Will the world dedicate itself to putting the power of HIV
prevention in women's hands? The quest for

affordable, women-initiated HIV prevention measures could accelerate with
more funding and political commitment to

female condom marketing and distribution and microbicide research.

For the complete report, go to
http://www.iwhc.org/resources/toptenindex2007.cfm
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