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5/10/2013 - Survivor Rescued From Bangladesh Building Wreckage

On Friday rescuers in Dhaka, Bangladesh saved a woman who is still alive after the eight story building collapsed on April 24. The woman was discovered as a rescuer was cutting away iron rods and heard her cries for help.

The woman, identified as Reshma, was in the building's prayer room at the time of the collapse. The debris formed a space around Reshma with enough room for her to stand, and she was able to locate food and water nearby that lasted until two days ago.

Reshma's miraculous rescue comes as the death toll from the collapse surpasses 1,000, making it the world's worst industrial disaster since the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India. 2,500 people were rescued with 1,000 suffering serious injuries. There is no estimate of how many people remain missing. The majority of those dead are female garment workers from the building's five garment factories.

5/10/2013 - Farmworkers Fired For Fleeing California Wildfire

Last week, more than a dozen farmworkers at the Crisalida Farm's strawberry fields in California were fired when they left the field to take refuge from the smoke and ash from a nearby wildfire.

Workers said on May 2 ashes were falling on them and they were having difficulty breathing from the smoke from a wildfire 11 miles to the north. They were warned by the foreman that if they left because of the conditions, they would no longer have a job. Fifteen workers decided to leave because of the deplorable conditions. When they returned to work the next day, they discovered they had been fired.

The workers were not part of a union, but reached out to the United Farm Workers (UFW) for help. UFW negotiated with the upper management of Crisalida Farms on behalf of the workers, citing the union rule "No worker shall work under conditions where they feel his life or health is in danger." As a result of the negotiations, all 15 workers have been offered their positions back. So far only one worker has accepted the offer while the others have found work elsewhere.

5/9/2013 - Working Families Flexibility Act Passes House, Threatens Over Time Pay

A bill that would remove over time pay and replace it with "comp" time passed the House yesterday in a vote along party lines of 223 to 204.

The Working Families Flexibility Act, dubbed the "More Work, Less Pay Act" by Democrats, would replace overtime pay at the hour-and-a-half rate with comp time that workers would use at a later time at the employer's discretion. Supporters of the Act argue that this will allow working women and care-givers the ability to control their schedules and get more time off. However, critics and labor activists contend that it empowers employers to demand their employees work extra hours over the standard 40 hour work week without any consequences for the employer and at the expense of the worker. The bill also gives workers the right to sue if an employer intimidates them into accepting comp time instead of overtime pay, but denies the ability to seek remedies from the Department of Labor. It also does not provide [PDF] the department of Labor with any funds to enforce the act.

Ellie Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, said, "The Republican Working Families Flexibility Act is a fraud and anything but working family friendly. The act simply works to kill overtime pay and allow flex time only to meet the employer's needs."

The White House issued a statement saying, "This legislation undermines the existing right to hard-earned overtime pay, on which many working families rely to make ends meet, while misrepresenting itself as a workplace flexibility measure that gives power to employees over their own schedules."

In a joint op-ed in the Huffington Post, Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) and President of the AFL-CIO Arlene Holt Baker said, "For many working families, taking home less pay at the end of the day means less money to cover rent, education costs, medical bills and other living expenses. The 'choice' to take unpaid time off is not a choice at all... At a time when workers are already working harder for less, those who rely on overtime to make ends meet could face even more financial challenges. The kind of support that working families are looking for would be available by strengthening their ability to collectively bargain on the job for higher wages, safer workplaces, better health care and paid time off options. Working families deserve better than H.R. 1406."

5/9/2013 - Fire in Bangladesh Garment Factory Kills 8 as Collapse Deaths Pass 900

Thursday night, a fire broke out in a garment factory in the Mirpur area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, that killed eight people. No workers were in the building at the time. Officials say that the building owner, four of his staff members, and a senior and low-level police officer died when they were overcome by toxic fumes from the burning clothes as they tried to escape down a stairwell. There is no word about what caused the fire, and fire fighters were able to keep the blaze contained to a single floor. The government closed 18 garment factories out of safety concerns on Wednesday. Six have been cleared to reopen.

The fire comes as rescue officials announce that the death toll from the Savar Building collapse on April 24 has reached 912. More bodies are expected to be uncovered when rescue workers begin to search the basement of the building. Nine people have been arrested in connection with the collapse. An initial investigation found that the top four floors of the eight story building had been constructed illegally without permits. The factories also opened despite a crack discovered in the building. Approximately 80% of the garment factory workforce in Bangladesh are women who are often responsible for providing for their families. Under grueling working conditions, workers in garment factories can make as little as $26 a month.

5/9/2013 - North Carolina Legislature To Consider 'Abortion Risk' Bill

The North Carolina Senate Health Committee passed a bill yesterday that would require that students are told that having an abortion is a significant risk factor for later pre-term births. The measure now heads to the floor of the state Senate.

Senate Bill 132 [PDF] requires that seventh grade students be taught that abortion is one of the significant risk factors that could cause a woman to have pre-mature deliveries later in life as part of the state's sex ed program. Much of the debate surrounding the bill centers around the validity of scientific studies that suggest a connection. UNC School of Medicine Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr. David Grimes questioned the committee, "The World Health Organization, the CDC, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatricians and the American Public Health Association all have uniformly concluded that abortion does not cause prematurity. How did they all get it wrong?"

Senator Gladys Robinson (D-Guilford) proposed an amendment that would remove the provision about abortion. "The information is out there," she said. "We can use whatever we want to justify why we want to do these things, but I think that we need to make sure the teachers teach what they are able to teach and educated to teach, and not go into other areas that they are not professionally educated to do." The chairman Senator Ralph Hise (R-Spruce Pine) declared that the amendment failed after a voice vote. In a final voice vote on the bill, Senator Hise declared that the measure passed and did not call for a hand vote requested by Democrats, citing time constraints.

This comes the day after the North Carolina House of Representatives rejected a bill that would require minors to get parental consent for STI treatment, including HIV/AIDS care, and pregnancy care, including abortion, prenatal care, or even in clinic pregnancy testing. This bill was referred back to committee for revisions.

5/8/2013 - Arkansas Asks Federal Judge to Dismiss Abortion Ban Challenge

On Tuesday, the state of Arkansas asked a federal judge to dismiss a court case that challenges the state's abortion ban after 12 weeks.

Attorneys for the state of Arkansas filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the ACLU and the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of two abortion providers in Little Rock, Arkansas. In the motion, Arkansas argues that the measure "regulates certain pre-viability abortions without placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking a pre-viability abortion." The attorneys go on to state that the law furthers "the state's legitimate interests in protecting the life and health of the pregnant woman, protecting the life of the fetus that may become a child and protecting the ethics and integrity of the medical profession."

The lawsuit, Edwards v. Beck, was filed on April 16 and argues that doctors who violate the 12 week ban will lose their medical license and as a result are forced to turn away women in need of abortion care. The lawsuit also goes on to argue that the measure denies "patients their constitutionally-guaranteed right to decide to end a pre-viability pregnancy."

In March, the Arkansas state legislature voted to override Governor Beebe's veto of the Human Heartbeat Protection Act, which bans abortion after a heartbeat can be detected with a standard ultrasound (usually 12 weeks). While the bill does include exemptions for rape, incest, severe fetal abnormality, and to save the life of the mother, the bill is still one of the strictest abortion bans in the United States.

5/8/2013 - Sexual Assault in the Military Rose by 35% in Two Years

Yesterday the Department of Defense issued an annual report that showed that sexual assault in the military rose by 35% from 2010 to 2012.

The report found that 26,000 members of the military experienced "unwanted sexual contact" in 2012 when answering an anonymous survey - a rate of approximately 70 assaults a day. That number is almost 7,000 instances higher than in 2010. In addition the report found only 3,374 reports of sexual assault were filed, according to the Pentagon. Of those cases filed, fewer than one in 10 ended with a court-martial conviction of sexual assault. In the majority of cases, the alleged attacker faced small administrative punishments or the case was dismissed.

The report has garnered outrage from many political leaders. President Obama told reporters, "The bottom line is, I have no tolerance for this... If we find out somebody's engaging in this stuff, they've got to be held accountable, prosecuted, stripped of their positions, court-martialed, fired, dishonorably discharged - period." Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement "If we needed any more evidence that the military justice system needs to change to hold sexual predators accountable and protect survivors of assault, this report has provided it. These crimes are a dark stain on our armed forces that poison morale and readiness, and that must be confronted." Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) told the Huffington Post "When our best and our brightest put on a uniform and join the United States Armed Forces, they do so with the understanding that they will sacrifice much in the name of defending our country and its people... However, it's unconscionable to think that entertaining unwanted sexual contact from within the ranks is now part of that equation."

The Department of Defense report comes one day after news broke that the chief of the Air Force's branch on sexual assault prevention and response was arrested on charges of sexual battery over the weekend. According to the Arlington Police Department, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffery Krusinski groped a woman in a parking lot early Sunday morning. She fought him off when he attempted to grab her again and immediately alerted the police. An anonymous spokesperson for the Air Force confirmed that Krusinski had been dismissed from his post in response to the allegations.

5/8/2013 - Delaware Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Yesterday, the Delaware state legislature voted to legalize same-sex marriage and the bill was signed into law by the governor moments afterwards.

The bill passed in the state House two weeks ago on a vote of 23 to 18. It was approved by the Senate yesterday on a vote of 12 to 9. Governor Jack Markell (D) signed the bill into law on the stairs of the main lobby of Legislative Hall minutes after it was approved by the Senate. Markell told activists and reporters, "It's a great day in Delaware... I am signing this bill now because I do not intend to make any of you wait one moment longer." Same-sex couples will be able to officially get married starting July 1st.

The vote comes less than a week after Rhode Island became the tenth state to legalize same-sex marriage. In a vote of 56 to 15, the Rhode Island state House approved changes in a bill approved by the state Senate. That evening Governor Lincoln Chafee (I) signed the bill into law.

5/7/2013 - Air Force Sexual Assault Unit Chief Charged with Sexual Battery

The chief of the Air Force's branch on sexual assault prevention and response was arrested over the weekend on charges of sexual battery.

According to the Arlington Police Department, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffery Krusinski groped a woman in a parking lot early Sunday morning. She fought him off when he attempted to grab her again and immediately alerted the police. The police department confirmed that he is being held under $5,000 bail. An anonymous spokesperson for the Air Force confirmed that Krusinski had been dismissed from his post in response to the allegations.

Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA), who recently reintroduced the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act (STOP Act) to address sexual assault in the military, told the Stars and Stripes that the news made her physically ill. She questioned, "How many more reasons do we need to take cases of rape and sexual assault out of the chain of command?"

The Air Force has come under particular scrutiny after a Lieutenant General overturned a sexual assault conviction by jury of an Air Force service member. The Air Force fighter pilot was convicted in November for aggravated sexual assault by a jury of four colonels and a lieutenant colonel. He was dismissed from the Air Force and sentenced to one year in prison. Lieutenant General Craig Franklin overturned the jury conviction using "convening authority" - an absolute power of a single military supervisor to dismiss a jury decision as granted by Article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

5/7/2013 - Minnesota Judges Dismiss Anti-Abortion Funding Lawsuit

Last week, a Minnesota judge dismissed a lawsuit that attempted to end state insurance coverage for abortion. The lawsuit, brought against the state by a conservative anti-abortion legal group on behalf of "taxpayers", alleged that the Department of Human Services was using tax-payer money to fund abortions for women on state assistance when the procedures were not medically necessary and without the authority to do so.

Second District Court Judge Kathleen R. Gearin dismissed the case with prejudice on Thursday. In her opinion, Gearin cited a 1995 case Doe v. Gomez, which determined that if Minnesota funded pregnancy-related care, it would be unconstitutional to not fund therapeutic abortions (when there is a medical reason to terminate the pregnancy, or if it is the result of rape or incest). She also restated the guarantee to right to privacy as stated in Doe v. Gomez: "the difficult decision to obtain a therapeutic abortion will not be made by the government, but will be left to the woman and her doctor." Since the case was dismissed with prejudice, it cannot be filed again.

5/7/2013 - Bangladesh Building Collapse Death Toll Pass 700, Protests Continue

The official death toll from a building collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh has surpassed 700 as more bodies were recovered on Tuesday.

Officials said that the death toll had climbed to 705. It is the country's worst industrial disaster and the worst disaster in the history of the garment industry. Survivors of the eight story building collapse that housed five garment factories and other garment workers blocked a major highway to demand compensation and better working conditions.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the collapse. An initial investigation found that the top four floors of the eight story building had been constructed illegally without permits. The factories also opened despite a crack discovered in the building. Approximately 80% of the garment factory workforce in Bangladesh are women who are often responsible for providing for their families. Under grueling working conditions, workers in garment factories can make as little as $26 a month.

5/6/2013 - Rhode Island Becomes Tenth State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

On Thursday, Rhode Island became the tenth state to legalize same-sex marriage. In a vote of 56 to 15, the Rhode Island state House approved changes in a bill approved by the state Senate. That evening Governor Lincoln Chafee (I) signed the bill into law.

Governor Chafee, who has been pushing for marriage equality since he was elected Governor position in 2010, wrote an op-ed in the New York Times explaining why he supported the bill. He said:

"A historic realignment is happening all around us, as Americans from all walks of life realize that this is the right thing to do. It is occurring both inside and outside of politics, through conversations at the office and over kitchen tables, and at different speeds in different parts of the country. But once the people have spoken, politics should do its part to make the change efficient and constructive... I have been heartened in recent months to see members of my old party coming around on marriage equality... That reflects sound political judgment, and some values that are at least as Republican as they are Democratic, including a belief in marriage as an institution and a desire to keep government out of our personal lives."

Rhode Island's decision on marriage equality has triggered outrage from some of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archibishop Salvatore Cordileone from San Francisco wrote a statement calling marriage equality a "serious injustice." He said, "Therefore, regardless of what law is enacted, marriage remains the union of one man and one woman - by the very design of nature, it cannot be otherwise."

Nine other states as well as the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage. The Delaware state Senate is scheduled to consider a bill that would legalize same sex marriage in the state on Tuesday.

5/6/2013 - No Decision Yet for 'Beatriz' in El Salvador

The Supreme Court of El Salvador has still not issued a decision about whether or not it will allow a woman in El Salvador to terminate a life-threatening, non-viable fetus.

"Beatriz", who is currently 22 and already a mother of a young infant, was diagnosed with multiple severe illnesses and is 18 weeks pregnant. In addition, the fetus will not survive more than a few days outside the womb (if at all) due to a severe fetal abnormality where part of the brain does not develop. Doctors fear that if she continues with the pregnancy, Beatriz could lose her life. Abortion in any circumstance is illegal in El Salvador and if Beatriz and her doctors proceed with the abortion without approval from the Supreme Court they could face up to 30 years in jail for aggravated homicide. While the Supreme Court has agreed to hear her case, the Court has not released anything related to the case in the month since the hospital sought permission to treat Beatriz.

Over 45,000 people from around the world have signed a petition urging Salvadorian President Mauricio Funes to authorize the procedure. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights have also pressured the government to intervene. The UN experts on the right to health; torture; and violence against women issued a joint statement saying, "We urge the Government of El Salvador to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and full enjoyment of the right to life, and to the highest attainable standard of health for Beatriz, in accordance with international human rights law."

Since a total ban on abortion was passed in 1998, 628 women have been imprisoned for their abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Of those, 24 were charged with "aggravated murder," which can mean a penalty of up to 30 years in jail.

5/6/2013 - Florida Legislature Rejects Medicaid Expansion, Adjourns Without Vote

The Florida state legislature adjourned on Friday without a vote on Medicaid expansion that would extend healthcare to 1 million Floridians.

The Florida state Senate and House were unable to resolve their differences on two proposals that would extend Medicaid coverage. One version, passed by the state House, would use $237 million in state funds to expand Medicaid to approximately 115,000 Floridians and would reject funding from the federal government. The second would accept $50 billion of federal funding to provide Medicaid to 1.1 million Floridians, and has support from both the Obama administration and Republican Governor Rick Scott. However, without a decision reached on either bill before the end of the session, Florida will not see any Medicaid expansion in 2014.

Democrats in the state are calling for a special session in order to come to a decision on the plans. It is unsure if the Republicans, which hold a majority in the legislature, will allow that to happen. Governor Scott could also force lawmakers to have a special session.

Florida has one of the highest rates on uninsured residents, with an average of one in five people without insurance.

5/3/2013 - Bangladesh Death Toll Reaches 507

The death toll from the eight story building collapse in Bangladesh last Wednesday has passed 500, making it the worst industrial disaster in the country's history.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the collapse. An initial investigation found that the top four floors of the eight story building had been constructed illegally without permits. The factories also opened despite a crack discovered in the building.

No survivors have been recovered from the debris in the last four days, yet many families and relatives are still waiting near the wreckage for any news. Bodies that had begun decomposing or were too damaged to identify have already been buried.

Approximately 80% of the garment factory workforce in Bangladesh are women who are often responsible for providing for their families. Under grueling working conditions, workers in garment factories can make as little as $26 a month.

Outrage over the conditions of garment factories in Bangladesh gained international headlines in November of 2012 when 112 workers died during a fire in a factory that was producing clothes for Walmart and other Western retailers. An official investigation ruled that the fire was deliberately started and determined that up to nine officials prevented workers from leaving the building and even padlocked exits.

5/3/2013 - Colorado Legislature Passes Voter Expansion Bill

Yesterday, the Colorado state legislature approved a bill that will expand voter rights in the state. The bill would provide every voter a mail-in ballot, allow same-day voter registration, create a statewide voter database, and replace assigned precincts with general "voter centers."

The bill which passed in the state Senate with a vote of 20 to 15 and in the state House with a vote 36 to 26, received no votes from Republican lawmakers in either chamber. The bill, called the "Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act," was drafted with help from the bi-partisan Colorado County Clerk Association, which supports it. The Conservatives argued that the bill would allow voter fraud, and a ploy to get more Democratic votes. Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler (R) called the bill a "partisan power play."

State Senator Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) argued in the Senate, "It's a technical bill that was written by the county clerks...They're the ones who know, and they're the ones who are going to be held accountable every day when people come in to register and vote in county elections. I trust that."

Now, the bill will go back to the House to approve minor changes made by the Senate. If the changes are approved, the bill will be sent to Governor John Hickenlooper.

5/3/2013 - Florida Teenager Arrested Over 'Science Experiment'

A 16 year old student in Bartow, Florida was arrested under felony charges earlier this week after a science experiment caused smoke and a loud noise on school property.

Kiera Wilmot* mixed toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil in an 8oz plastic bottle for a science experiment after hearing it would produce non-toxic smoke from a friend. The reaction caused the top to pop off and smoke to come out of the bottle. No one was injured and no property was damaged. When questioned by the principal and teacher, Wilmot responded that it was a science experiment, but after it was determined that the teacher had not known of her experiment, the police were called. Wilmot was charged with felony possession/discharge of a firearm and discharging a destructive device. She will be charged as an adult. Wilmot was also expelled from school and will have to complete her high school degree through an expulsion program.

Principal Ron Pritchard told reporters that he believed she was simply doing an experiment. "She made a bad choice. Honestly, I don't think she meant to ever hurt anyone. She wanted to see what would happen and was shocked by what it did. Her mother is shocked, too... She is a good kid. She has never been in trouble before. Ever... She told us everything and was very honest," he continued. "She didn't run or try to hide the truth. We had a long conversation with her." A statement released by the Polk County School district said "Anytime a student makes a bad choice it is disappointing to us. Unfortunately, the incident that occurred at Bartow High School yesterday was a serious breach of conduct. In order to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment, we simply must uphold our code of conduct rules."

Kathleen Nolan, Princeton lecturer and author of Police in the Hallways: Discipline in an Urban High School told reporters "This young woman faces expulsion, felony charges and a criminal record because of what appears to be misguided curiosity. These zero-tolerance laws have put into place a mindlessness where individuals no longer think through these kind of situations and use their discretion."

*Though the student in question is only 16, her name was used since she will be tried as an adult.

5/2/2013 - Ireland Unveils New Abortion Legislation

On Wednesday, the Irish parliament unveiled the Protection of Life In Pregnancy Bill which clarifies when a woman can have a life-saving abortion.

Under the new bill, women can terminate a pregnancy when there is a significant threat to her life, including suicide. In the case of an emergency, a single doctor can approve and perform the abortion. In non-emergency cases, a woman would have to get the approval of two doctors that the pregnancy poses a significant threat to her life and abortion is the only option. In cases where a woman is suicidal, she must have the approval of a doctor and two psychiatrists that the threat of suicide is legitimate. The bill will now be debated in committee.

Prime Minister Enda Kenny, was quick to clarify that the bill would not alter Ireland's current laws on abortion. "This bill restates the general prohibition on abortion in Ireland," he said at a press conference. "The law on abortion in Ireland is not being changed." Currently abortion in all cases is prohibited, including rape, incest, or severe, non-viable fetal abnormality. The only except is when a woman's life it at risk as a result of the 1992 Irish Supreme Court decision, known as the X Case.

The barriers to terminating a life-threatening pregnancy in Ireland gained international attention last year when a woman died after being denied an abortion. Savita Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she arrived at University Hospital Galway complaining of severe back pain in October 2012. Hospital staff determined she was miscarrying, however doctors refused to remove the pregnancy until three days later. After the pregnancy was removed, Savita was transferred to intensive care where she died three days later of what was determined to be septicaemia (similar to blood poisoning).

5/2/2013 - Linda Dorcena Forry Wins Boston Democratic Primary

Linda Dorcena Forry won the Democratic primary for the open Massachusetts state Senate seat. She is the first Haitian-American to win a Massachusetts state primary, and will be running for a seat traditionally held by Irish-American men.

"I'm so grateful to the many, many members of the community, the folks who came out and supported the campaign working in every community, in South Boston, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park," Forry said, after her victory. "I look forward to working hard to win the support of the people who might not have been with me before. I'm going to work hard to get them on my side, asking for their support and their vote."

Forry won by a margin of 378 votes after incorrect ballots were sent to polls in South Boston. These ballots did not list the candidates for the state Senate primary. According to the Boston Election Commission, the problem was corrected by 7:30am. However there was concern that the error would prompt a challenge from Forry's rival opponent, Nick Collins.

Both Forry and Collins were state representatives prior to the primary. Forry represented the 12th Suffolk District and Collins represented the 1st Suffolk district.

5/2/2013 - Feminists Critical of Decision to Appeal Plan B Ruling

Late Wednesday night, the Obama Administration filed an appeal in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals challenging a federal judge's decision that emergency contraception must be made available over the counter with no age restrictions. According to the New York Times, the Department of Justice will argue that Judge Edward Korman, who issued the ruling, did not have the authority to order the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take a specific action and should have sent the case back to the FDA to decide what to do.

The announcement comes a day after the FDA approved new guidelines for the sale of emergency contraception, commonly known as Plan B, as part of an application by the pharmaceutical company Teva Women's Health. Under the approved guidelines, anyone purchasing Plan B must have proof of age, either a driver's license, passport, or birth certificate. The package will also be changed to include the statement "not for sale to those under 15 years of age *proof of age required* not for sale where age cannot be verified," and will include a security tag to prevent theft or sale without proper ID. Anyone who cannot prove their age will be denied the medication.

Nancy Northrup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights which filed the legal case against the FDA, issued a statement saying, "We are deeply disappointed that just days after President Obama proclaimed his commitment to women's reproductive rights, his administration has decided once again to deprive women of their right to obtain emergency contraception without unjustified and burdensome restrictions."

Her statements were echoed by many organizations in the reproductive rights movement. Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, told reporters "The prevention of unwanted pregnancy, particularly in adolescents, should not be obstructed by politicians... President Obama should practice what he preaches." Ilyse Hogue of NARAL Pro-Choice America said in a statement, "Unfortunately, today's appeal reminds us that sometimes our leaders are out of step with the reality women face every day. We can only assume that HHS is signaling that they are satisfied with the status quo. That's simply unacceptable." Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said "The decision to appeal and continue to put unnecessary, and for too many difficult, obstacles for obtaining Plan B flies in the face of medical and scientific evidence. We argue that IDs suppress the vote, this ID regulation blocks access to a desperately needed health care product and could even cost young girls and women their lives."

Many others were also outraged over the new guidelines. Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, said "Immigrant women and aspiring citizens of all ages have been hit particularly hard, since they are less likely to have government-issued identification... It's disappointing that the FDA decided to undermine the recent court victory for immigrant women and young Latinas by introducing more unnecessary obstacles to emergency contraception, which is safe and necessary."

Cythina Pearson, Executive Director of the National Women's Health Network, told Feminist Majority Foundation, "I'm disappointed that our government is still not treating women with the respect we deserve... A federal judge ordered the administration to drop the politics and do the right thing - remove the age limit on EC... But women will still have to show ID to the cashier. That's just plain unfair - and it will create a barrier for many women of all ages, who don't have government-issued ID."

"This is a disappointing step by the Administration because it still doesn't lift the barriers to access of emergency contraception to all who need it," Dr. Susan Wood, former FDA Assistant Commissioner for Women's Health, told Feminist Majority Foundation. "This action once again disregards the medical and scientific evidence, and leaves barriers to women who will still have to produce an ID to purchase Plan B. Unfortunately this means that this will go back to the courts to resolve the issue."

5/2/2013 - Feminists Critical of Decision to Appeal Plan B Ruling

5/1/2013 - Signature Drive for 2015 Mississippi Personhood Begins

Last week, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood approved the language for a 2015 ballot measure that would amend the Mississippi state constitution to define life as beginning at conception. Now, supporters must collect 107,216 valid signatures of Mississippi voters to add it to the Mississippi ballot in 2015.

Initiative Measure No. 41, originally approved by the state legislature on March 5, would ask Mississippi voters "Should the Mississippi Constitution be amended to state that the right to life as a person begins at conception?" If approved, it would add the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution: "The right to life begins at conception. All human beings at every stage of development are unique, created in the image of God, and shall enjoy the inalienable right to life as persons under law."

Already, opposition to Initiative Measure 41 is growing. A petition and Facebook group called "No Means NO: Mississippians United Against Personhood" was started to raise awareness about the renewed Personhood drive and to gather signatures against Measure 41.

In 2011 Mississippi voters defeated a similar Personhood Amendment. Women's rights supporters successfully defeated the dangerous Initiative 26, a state constitutional personhood amendment that would have given full rights to fertilized eggs, 58% to 42% with 96 percent of precincts reporting. If passed, Initiative 26, which proposed to give constitutional rights to a fertilized egg, would have banned emergency contraception, birth control pills, and IUDs as well as all abortions, even in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman or girl. The Personhood Amendment would have even gone so far as to eliminate medical choices for women, including some cancer treatments, in vitro fertilization, and could allow the state to investigate and even prosecute a woman for a miscarriage. Initiative Measure No. 41, if approved by voters and signed into law, would also ban abortion in all cases, many forms of birth control, and other vital reproductive health services.

In addition, President Obama attacked Personhood efforts at the Planned Parenthood nation conference on Friday. The President called the 2011 Personhood Amendment in Mississippi "absurd" and "an assault on women's rights." He continued, "and that's why when the people of Mississippi were given a chance to vote on that initiative, they turned it down. And Mississippi is a conservative state."

5/1/2013 - First Female Speaker of Bangladesh Takes Oath

Yesterday, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was sworn in as Bangladesh's first female Speaker of the Parliament. She was unanimously elected by the Parliament earlier Tuesday to fill the vacant seat.

Previously, Chaudhury, a member of the majority Awami League party, was the state minister for women and children affairs. In addition to advancing women's equality through her "Women's Development Policy" legislation, the new Speaker has declared ending violence against women a top priority. She told reporters, "We have enough laws. But there are [still] incidents of violence. It is not only the law that can change the situation. There is a need to change the mindset. Obstacles have always been there. But despite the obstacles, women have been able to come far and will go further."

Her rise to Speaker and policies for advancing the rights of women have drawn opposition from conservative religious leaders. With Chaudhury as speaker, women hold three of the four most powerful political positions in the Bangladesh government (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh National Party) in addition to many other leadership positions. Chaudhury is also the first woman elected to Speaker who has come from one of 50 seats in Parliament specifically reserved for women.

Chaudhury's oath comes a week after Bangladesh faced the tragedy of a building collapse in Dhaka that killed more than 400 people, mostly young women. The building housed garment factories, a bank, and a shopping center. An initial investigation found that the top four floors of the eight story building had been constructed illegally without permits. The factories also opened despite a crack discovered in the building the day before. Many of the factories in the building have connections to multiple Western retailers such as Walmart, Benetton and Cato Fashions, the Dutch C & A, British Prismark, and Spanish Mango, among others. Protests and strikes have erupted in Dhaka in response to the tragedy.

80% of the garment factory workforce in Bangladesh are women who are often responsible for providing for their families. Under grueling working conditions, workers in garment factories can make as little as $26 a month.

5/1/2013 - Amid Massive Hunger Strike, Obama Renews Push to Close Guantanamo

President Obama announced his renewed desire to close the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in a press conference yesterday. He said that the prison was created in an understandable reaction to the tragedy of 9/11, "but we are now over a decade out. We should be wiser. We should have more experience in how we prosecute terrorists." He would prefer that the inmates be moved to a high security prison on U.S. soil, which many in Congress oppose.

Obama continued, saying Guantanamo is costly and provocative in foreign relations: "Guantanamo is not necessary to keep America safe. It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens cooperation with our allies on counter-terrorism efforts. It is a recruitment tool for extremists. It needs to be closed." He will press Congress to lift its restriction on Pentagon intervention in Guantanamo.

The announcement came when a major hunger strike at Guantanamo that began in February escalated in recent weeks. The White House deployed a large medical team to Guantanamo to help administer life-saving nutrients to strikers. At least 100 of the 166 prisoners are now refusing food in hopes of altering the way guards treat inmates. Allegedly, guards mistreated copies of the Qu'ran belonging to some inmates several months ago. A small fraction of the inmates went on strike in February, and guards placed the participants in isolation. When participants resisted or became violent, guards fired rubber bullets. This prompted more of the prison population to refuse food in opposition of maltreatment. The Guardian argues that the strikers also cite the fact that almost half of the prisoners have been cleared for release but the government has not moved them from Guantanamo. The branch of the State Department which deals with resettlement of prisoners was shut down earlier this year, and no governmental organization has taken up the task.

The closure of Guantanamo was a stated goal in Obama's 2008 platform, but the prison was not mentioned in his second inauguration. Some military officials speculate that his silence on the issue in his second term may have contributed to unrest in the prison.

4/30/2013 - Saudi Arabia Launches First Domestic Violence PSA

The King Khalid Foundation (KKF) in Saudi Arabia has launched the first advertising campaign to combat violence against women in Saudi Arabia.

The advertisement features a woman in a niqab with a black eye and a caption that reads "Some things can't be covered - fight women's abuse together." Other versions of the poster feature the slogan "What is hidden, is worse." The foundation also released a report on the extent of violence against women and children in the country. In the report KKF said, "It's a phenomenon that is still shrouded in darkness. Anyone who works in security forces knows about it and those who work in social organizations and charity centers can see a part of it... Also, people who work in hospitals and schools can see a fraction of it, but no one knows the exact amount or how much it has spread or the real reasons or actual impact in total."

Despite advancements, women in Saudi Arabia face limited public involvement. In 2012, the first female members were sworn in to the Shura Council and in 2011, the King granted women the right to vote and run for public office as early as 2015. Despite gaining the right to vote, Saudi women still have to rely on male relatives or paid drivers to travel by car due to a religious edict issued by Muslim clerics. Saudi women are also being tracked by text message.