New from the Guttmacher Institute

Guttmacher Institute Monthly State Policy Update

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:48:51 GMT

This update provides information on legislation, as well as relevant executive branch actions and judicial decisions in states across the country

World AIDS Day 2008—Still Time to Get PEPFAR Right

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:39:00 EST

As the global community marks World AIDS Day on December 1, advocates and policy experts welcome the promise by the incoming Obama administration to put sound scientific evidence at the forefront of the U.S. global AIDS program (PEPFAR). President-elect Obama’s campaign Web site states that the “first priority is…to ensure that best practices—not ideology—… drive funding for HIV/AIDS programs.” And indeed, both the new administration and the incoming Congress will have opportunities next year to do just that.

Uruguay’s President Vetoes Bill to Liberalize Abortion Access

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST

Uruguay’s Senate voted on November 11 to allow abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a move aimed at reducing the harmful impact of clandestine, often unsafe abortions in the country. A veto threat notwithstanding, the Uruguayan legislature’s move to decriminalize abortion follows a recent worldwide trend.

Dr. Isaac F. Adewole Named 2008 Bixby Leadership Fellow

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:09:00 EST

Growing Movement Calls for Steps to Make Contraceptives Easier to Obtain and Use

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:32:00 EST

A growing number of women’s health advocates are urging bolder and potentially transformative steps toward greater “contraceptive convenience,” with the aim of making contraceptive use easier and more sustainable for women, according to a new Guttmacher policy analysis. These advocates argue that many of the ways in which contraceptives are made available in the United States are no longer grounded in the reality of current scientific advancements or modern women’s lives.

Abortion Laws Liberalized in 16 Countries Since 1998

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:27:00 EST

In the 10 years since the last global review of abortion policies, 16 countries have increased the number of circumstances on which abortions may be legally performed, while two have eliminated all such grounds… Evidence shows that restrictive policies do not lead to fewer abortions. Abortion rates are roughly equal in places where the procedure is legal and where it is illegal, according to recent worldwide estimates from the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization (WHO)…