First, women in Baghdad can now visit their very own Internet cafe. Whether segregated spaces really are a general step forwards is a question which can be fiercely debated, but because having Internet access at home is both precarious and very expensive, that cafe is good news for the women.
Second, you have probably read about how private health insurance has been able (in some states, at least) to use prior Caesarian sections or a history of having been the victim of domestic violence as valid pre-existing conditions when deciding on whether to offer a woman a health insurance policy and at what price. These demonstrate, by the way, why "insurance" is not the best way of financing health care.
Now Michelle Obama has made a national call to action on these grounds.
Third, a proposed general Breastfeeding Promotion Act ((H.R. 2819, S. 1244) would do the following:
The Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 (H.R. 2819, S. 1244) includes five provisions:
* 1) Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect breastfeeding women from being fired or discriminated against in the workplace.
* 2) Provides tax incentives for businesses that establish private lactation areas in the workplace, or provide breastfeeding equipment or consultation services to their employees.
* 3) Provides for a performance standard to ensure breast pumps are safe and effective.
* 4) Allows breastfeeding equipment and consultation services to be tax deductible for families (amends Internal Revenue Code definition of "medical care").
* 5) Protects the privacy of breastfeeding mothers by ensuring they have break time and a private place to pump (applies to employers with 50 or more employees, see text of legislation for details).
You can ask Congress to support it here.
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Pic from my family files. Kinda illogical.