Tag Archives: National Women’s Law Center

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We Can’t Sit This One Out
The Stakes Are High
Donate today to help us protect essential priorities for women and their families.

As the 2010 elections grow near, many of our most urgent issues may hang in the balance.

The midterm elections will make a profound difference on whether women and families will get the help they need to make ends meet in these difficult times. Women’s votes matter more now than ever. That’s why we can’t afford for women to sit this election out.

Check out our fact sheets on Why Women Should Vote, and help us continue to spread the word.

Your donation enables us to reach out to women across the country and let them know the importance of making their voices heard.

And when Congress returns in November, we’ll be working hard to ensure women’s health and well-being on a host of critical issues, including fair pay, child care, health insurance coverage, unemployment insurance and other important supports for struggling families.

We urgently need your help. The stakes are high and we don’t have a moment to lose. Please consider a generous donation today to support our efforts to inform women about the importance of their vote and all of our issues that are at stake.

Join us as we fight to protect essential priorities for women and their families — especially for those who are most vulnerable.

Thank you for your support, and for all you do on behalf of women and their families.

Sincerely,
Emily Martin Emily Martin
Vice President and General Counsel
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. The National Women’s Law Center has been at the forefront of landmark legal and public policy initiatives to improve the lives of women, girls and families since 1972. Please donate today to support our important work on behalf of women and girls.
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Every Woman Deserves Human Rights
Every Woman Deserves Human Rights
It’s time to start addressing the unique needs of pregnant and parenting mothers behind bars.

My name is Shawanna Lumsey and I was shackled when I gave birth to my son. I’ve made some mistakes in my life, but no expectant mother, no woman, no person should ever be treated the way I was.

Eight years ago, I was convicted of credit card fraud and received a six-year prison sentence. At the time, I was five months pregnant.

I vividly remember the day I went into labor. I was in my cell at the McPherson Unit in Newport, Arkansas. It was very early in the morning and my labor pains were very sharp. I contacted the guard and was given two Tylenol. Those two Tylenol were the only pain pills I ever got.

After some delay, I was taken to the hospital. The pains were so intense that I literally had to grab the wall to steady myself. I got to the van outside for my short drive to the hospital and that’s when the shackles were put on. At the hospital there was only one brief moment when they removed the shackles — when I put on my hospital gown. My ankles were shackled to the bed throughout my hard labor, and I was unable to readjust myself to lessen the pain. It was only when the doctor arrived, just moments before I delivered, that he ordered the shackles to be removed.

At a mere 123 pounds, I gave birth to a 9 pound, 7 ounce baby son, while shackled to my bed for most of the labor. My experience was horrible and continues to haunt me.

Six years ago, I filed a lawsuit against the Arkansas Department of Corrections on the grounds that shackling is unconstitutional. The case has been long and difficult, but a year ago a federal court ruled that shackling women during labor violates their civil rights. I’ll continue to speak out so that no woman, no matter what her life circumstance, has to endure the pain and trauma I have.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has shown a desire to end the inhumane practice of shackling women giving birth, but that’s not the only issue that mothers behind bars face. Women are often denied pre-natal care and the opportunity to bond with their babies after birth and as they grow. Join me and women like me in thanking Attorney General Holder for his attention to shackling, while urging him to continue to address the needs of mothers behind bars and ensure that they have healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and opportunities to enter family-based drug treatments.

Your voice will help prevent another woman from experiencing what I went through.

Sincerely,

Shawanna Lumsey
Women’s Advocate
P.S. Learn more about the inhumane practice of shackling women during childbirth and other important issues affecting pregnant and parenting women behind bars by downloading the new report from the National Women’s Law Center and the Rebecca Project for Human Rights, Mothers Behind Bars.
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Tell Secretary Sebelius that Vulnerable Women Deserve Abortion Coverage


National Women's Law Center

Stand Up Against Blanket Abortion Coverage Prohibition Take Action

Tell Secretary Sebelius not to undermine women’s reproductive health in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans.

Take Action

Remember how angry women got when we were told we couldn’t use our own private dollars to obtain coverage of abortion care? Well it’s back. The Administration decided — without justification in law or policy — to ban abortion coverage in the newly created Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans.

It is still bad policy and your voice is needed.

Tell Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius how this harmful restriction undermines women’s access to reproductive health care now. Submit your comments today.

If adopted, this ban would prevent women with serious pre-existing medical conditions — like cancer or diabetes — from getting the abortion coverage they need to protect their health. And it will not even allow women the ability to pay for such coverage with their own private premium dollars.

Comments are due this Tuesday, September 28, so take action and tell Secretary Sebelius to stand up for the health of these vulnerable women and to reject this dangerous policy once and for all.

The National Women’s Law Center will not rest until the restrictions on abortion coverage are fixed. Thank you for continuing to fight with us to protect women’s health.

Judy WaxmanSincerely,Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Help us continue to protect women’s reproductive rights and expand the opportunities for women and their families. Support our work today.

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Sharing is Health Caring


National Women's Law Center

Sharing is Health Caring

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LIKE your family and friends? Help spread the word about how the new health care improvements works for women.

Sign the Pledge

Do you hate pap smears, but LIKE the idea that they are now free?

Join the club.

Today is the six-month anniversary of the new health care law and the day when a number of important consumer protections go into effect. Insurance companies can no longer drop you when you become sick or deny health coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Also, when you enroll in a new health plan, you no longer have co-pays for preventative health care services. And the law provides even more relief to women, like making it illegal to charge them more than men for insurance. These are some of the improvements that women and their families can enjoy because of the new health care law.

In honor of these new provisions coming into effect, the National Women’s Law Center is launching a campaign to help spread the word about how the new health care law works for women. Digital public education ads will appear on websites such as Huffington Post, Facebook and Politico, and based on Facebook’s “LIKE” function, the campaign allows you to “LIKE” the improvements the health care law makes in your life and the lives of those you love.

Join the campaign! Take the Sharing is Health Caring pledge to get informed about the new health care improvements, share the campaign with your friends and family, and make sure that you know where your candidates stand when you vote in the November 2nd election.

You’ve fought hard with us to pass this law and today we can celebrate — perhaps with a free mammogram or pap smear? Or how about just LIKING that it’s free and taking our pledge today?

You can also find out exactly what goes into effect today by checking out our new fact sheet.

Judy WaxmanSincerely,

Judy Waxman
Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. Your generous donation allows us to continue to stand up for women and their families. Support our work today.