SD Students Protest Anti-Women Law, Wal-Mart to Carry Emergency Contraception

General

*Six months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, advocates are still collecting rape reports from sex-assault survivors whose stories were lost in the storm. They hope the new database will be valuable during future crises.
Source: Women's eNews

*The effort to establish the National Women's History Museum in Washington was revived yesterday. The idea passed in the Senate last year. Supporters have now launched a push to convince the House of the museum's merit.
Source: Washington Post

Reproductive Rights

*Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday that all of its pharmacies would carry emergency contraceptive pills, bowing to pressure from states seeking to force the world's biggest retailer to do so. In a statement posted on its Web site, Wal-Mart said all of its pharmacies would begin carrying "Plan B" contraceptives as of March 20.
Source: Reuters

*Ratigen Street divided two groups of protesters Thursday on the University of South Dakota campus, but the issue that brought them there has the potential to divide a nation. Clinging to signs with slogans such as "Stand Up For Choice," abortion-rights activists lined Cherry Street east of Ratigen Street, jumping and cheering as motorists honked their horns in support.
Source: Sioux City Journal

*Banja Lamtsogolo (BLM), a sexual and reproductive health NGO is tackling HIV/AIDS among Malawi's women by handing out free female condoms.
Source: AllAfrica.com

International

*Michelle Bachelet in Chile and Lourdes Flores in Peru represent the success of women in politics throughout Latin America.
Source: Miami Herald

*Comprising 40 per cent of India's HIV infected population, women in the country are gradually becoming more susceptible to the disease, UN experts said here on Friday. "Women are biologically more susceptible to HIV infection. Besides, gender disparities, lack of education and trafficking of women are making the situation worse," said Archana Tamang, chief of the women's human rights and human security unit, United Nations Development Fund for Women.
Source: Times of India

*The European Commission is setting out an action plan to address equality of the sexes across the European Union. Women in the EU earn 15% less than men and a new Commission report says progress in closing the gap is slow.
Source: BBC

*When South Africa's former deputy president appears on a charge of rape at the Johannesburg High Court next week, he's likely to draw a crowd of rousing supporters – including many women.
Source: IRIN

*An Indonesian delegation to discussions on gender and international migration at the UN headquarters led by Women Empowerment Minister Meutia Hatta has stressed the need for measures to protect female migrant workers, especially those in the informal sector. "We have an interest in the issue because 77 percent of 2.1 million Indonesian migrant workers are female," the minister said here Thursday.
Source: Antara News

*Congress member Prema Cariappa, moving the Girl Child (elminitaion of Discrimnation and Violation of Rights and Other Welfare Measures) Bill, 2003 said there is a sharp decline in the female sex ratio and women in general were discriminated and violated across the country [India]. The Bill seeks to eliminate discrimination against the girl child by providing for the equal upbringing and removal of neglect by her parents and guardians. She is either married off in her childhood or forced into begging, prostitution and other crimes. There should be deterrent punishment for such violations, she added.
Source: India News

*Spain’s Socialist government on Friday set out to tear down one of the last bastions of male privilege with a draft bill to ban sex discrimination at work. The proposed law will oblige companies with more than 250 workers to introduce “equality plans” aimed at eliminating discrimination against women in pay, promotion and benefits. It also introduces eight days of paternity leave for men.
Source: Financial Times

*With Angela Merkel settling in as the first woman to run Germany, Expatica asked female expatriates about their experiences. Despite now having a woman in the top job and a generous maternity leave system, many of them are frustrated by what they see as old-fashioned attitudes.
Source: Expatica