News Round Up: August 27, 2009

Two views from Liberia on women and poverty alleviation, plus a fascinating profile of a Malawi girl who spent a year in the U.S.:

Health

The Wall Street Journal discusses the rising profile of the abortion issue amid the health care debate

Wall Street Journal asks whether a new health care plan would cover abortion

Reproductive Health Reality Check says reforming health care with women’s needs in mind will improve maternal care

A letter to the editor of a California paper highlights the need for women’s reproductive rights in any health reform package

Education

Download the National Women’s Law Center’s new report, “Listening to Latinas: Barriers to High School Graduation” (PDF)

Christian Science Monitor follows a Malawi teen who attended an elite U.S. academy for a year

A Liberian official draws the connect between girls’ livelihoods and reducing poverty (Daily Observer – Liberia)

A Liberian reporter criticizes women’s NGOs for not doing anything for rural girls in the country (The Inquirer – Liberia)

Afghanistan

Global Fund for Women CEO Kavita Ramdas says troops alone are not the answer for Afghanistan’s women (Huffingtonpost.com)

Women’s Leadership

San Jose Mercury News profiles women-owned start-ups working to improve lives in developing nations

AFP reports on a women-run taxi service gearing up in India

Italian women are protesting PM Silvio Berlusconi’s sexist behavior (New York Times)

Violence

Women’s services organizations in California are continuing to struggle amid historic cuts in funding (San Jose Mercury News)

Malaysian authorities are reviewing whether to proceed with caning a woman who drank beer in public (BBC)

FOXNews.com reports on women’s groups protesting a film of a Tucker Max book shown at North Carolina State University

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Did I leave anything out? Let me know!