Roundup: In Alaska, Parental Consent May Be Required Before Teen Abortion

In Alaska, Parental Consent May Be Required Before Teen Abortion; Contraception in the Philippines; First Women-only Pharmacy in North America

In Alaska, Parental Consent May Be Required Before Teen Abortion
Alaska
state officials have certified a bill requiring parental consent before
a teenage girl can have an abortion. The initiative will be on a 2010
ballot if supporters get 32,734 signatures before the legislation
session begins in January, reports LifeNews.com.

The legislation would require that a minor girl seeking an abortion
gets consent from her parents unless she can prove she was abused by
her parents, a physician declares a medical emergency or an abortion
notification bypass is signed off by a court.

Recently, a similar initiative was ruled unconstitutional by the Alaska Supreme Court, but "The makeup of
the court has changed and some observers say it would likely be more
receptive to a new measure," the article said.

Planned Parenthood of Alaska has previously stated that it will oppose
legislation requiring minor girls to notify their parents because it
could affect the girls’ mental or physical health.

Contraception in the Philippines
The
Philippines is the most populated Southeast Asian nation. Abortion is
illegal and contraception is not funded by the government because of
the Catholic Church’s power over the government, as reported in a Gender Across Borders article.
Gender Across Borders says:

"In the capital city where 70% of women live below the poverty line,
poor and marginalized women are disproportionately affected by the
contraception ban. Women with means still have access to contraception
through private clinics and healthcare providers.

Until recently, condoms were distributed free in other parts of the
Philippines with USAID funding, but even that was cut off last year.
Many women are now unable
to obtain any kind of contraception, and the consequences can be
deadly. As in any country with restrictive reproductive health
policies, clandestine abortion is a major public health problem.
Maternal mortality is "a key challenge" in the Philippines, according
to the UNFPA. It’s far too high; almost double that of neighbor Thailand. According to UN data, the vast majority of these deaths are are preventable. Maternal mortality, subject of the fifth Millennium Development Goal, clearly ties the need for comprehensive reproductive health care to the development agenda."

For more information on reproductive health issues in the Philippines, look at J.Mack‘s piece for Gender Across Borders in May called Ignoring the Truth in the Philippines, which references an Rewire post and several important reports.

 

First Women-only Pharmacy in North America

North America’s first women-only pharmacy is opens today in Vancouver, according to CBCNews.com.
According to Caryn Duncan, executive director of Vancouver Women’s
Health Collective, women in troubled neighborhoods do not go into local
pharmacies because the pharmacies focus on dispensing methadone to
heroin addicts.

She said:

"Women felt, ‘I want a woman pharmacist. I want to know that when I
walk in the door, I’m going to be getting sound women-centered care from
a pharmacist. I can talk to her about emergency contraception or a
vaginal infection, something that is very personal and intimate."

It appears the clinic will employ only female pharmacists, and may also serve only female customers.

OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:

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July 6: CPC Watcher: To Jaime

July 6: Stones Cry Out: Will Obamacare End Roe v. Wade?

July 6: LifeSiteNews:Abortion Has Greater Impact on Parenting than Other Forms of Pregnancy Loss, New Review Finds

July 6: FOX News:Seventh Grader Sues School Over Right to Wear Pro-Life T-Shirt

July 6: Alliance Alert:At meeting, NEA declines to remain neutral on abortion and marriage

July 6: LifeSiteNews: Gun Pulled on Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselor

July 6: Alliance Alert: Montana pro-life groups split on "personhood" strategy

July 6: LifeSiteNews: Cardinal Who Contradicted Church Teaching on Condoms Praises Obama’s ‘Realism’ On Abortion

July 6: LifeNews:Alaska Certifies Bid for Signatures for Parental Consent Before Teen Abortion

July 6: U.S. News & World Report: 6 Surprises From Obama’s Sit-Down With the Catholic Press

July 6: Right to Life Michigan: Michigan Abortionist Fined $10,000 after a Woman Dies in his Clinic

July 6: Catholic News Agency: Vatican expert questions cardinal’s exaltation of Obama

July 5: AP: SC GOP official sues city over abortion protest

July 6: LifeSiteNews: Obama Complains that Fears over Abortion Agenda "Not Based on Anything I’ve Said or Done"

July 6: LifeNews: Pro-Life Group Condemns $10,000 Slap on Wrist for Woman’s Abortion Death

July 6: CBC News:Vancouver women-only pharmacy to be North America’s first

July 6: NPR: Recession Takes Toll On Young, Low-Income Families

July 6: LifeSiteNews: HLI Publishes "Talking Points" Online Addressing Key Pro-Life Issues and Arguments

July 6: LifeNews: Some Pro-Life Doctors Could Quit if Obama Removes Abortion Conscience Laws

July 6: ThinkProgress: Is Denying Women Abortions The Price Of Bipartisanship?

July 6: Examiner: How Government is helping adoption

July 6: Catholic Exchange:Dead End of Secularism

July 6: Gender Across Borders:Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Situation Report: Contraception in the Philippines

July 6: LifeNews: Pro-Life Walkers Halfway Through Nationwide Trek Across America on Abortion

July 6: Ms. Magazine: ACLU Challenges Arizona Restriction on Inmates’ Abortion Rights

July 6: Commonweal:Card. Cottier on Obama

July 6: National Catholic Reporter: Three options for pope’s meeting with Obama: Pelosi, Blair, Zapatero

July 5: Our Bodies Ourselves: "Abortion Providers Under Siege": Thank PBS for Honest, Important Coverage

July 6: UK Press Association: Pro-life group to oppose treaty

July 6: LifeNews: Catholics Should Oppose Pro-Abortion Sonia Sotomayor Nod for Supreme Court

July 6: LifeNews:Pro-Life Advocates Surprised by Alaska Governor Palin’s Decision to Step Down

July 6: Post-Bulletin: With teens and sex, politics takes priority over public health

July 6: Operation Rescue: How Much is a Woman’s Life Worth? In Michigan, Only $10,00

July 6: Catholic Exchange: Tranquilty or Terrorism

July 5: Rightnation.us: Why "Pro-Choice" is More than a Position on Abortion

July 6: California Catholic Daily:Kmiec’s reward

July 6: Creative Minority Report: How to Get Your Girlfriend to Abort!