New Meds Slow Breast Cancer; U.S. Curbs Plan B

By WeNews staff

Saturday, December 10, 2011

(WOMENSENEWS)--

Cheers

Breast cancer experts cheered two new medicines that significantly delay the time until women with very advanced cases get worse, reported Bloomberg Businessweek Dec. 7.

Drug test results were released Dec. 7 at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The new drugs are some of the first major developments since the drug Herceptin came out in 1998, which has become standard treatment for a certain type of breast cancer.

More News to Cheer This Week:

On Dec. 9, the day before the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway, Laureates Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni opposition leader Tawakkul Karman vowed to work even harder to make the world see women not just as victims of conflicts, but as leaders in efforts to resolve them, reportedThe Washington Post.

Twelve radio stations to promote women's rights in Ghana have been launched in the past 11 months by The Media Foundation for West Africa, reported Vibe Ghana on Dec. 9.

The First Lady of Senegal Viviane Wade called on all African governments to increase budgetary allocations to family planning and reproductive health, reported Modern Ghana Dec. 8.

A call for member countries of the East African Community to collaboratively uproot gender-based violence was made by Oda Gasinzigwa, Rwanda's Chief Gender Monitor, reported All Africa Dec. 9. She made the call to members of the East African Legislative Assembly at a recent conference.

Activists in major United Kingdom cities will march today to speak out against a 'pornified' culture driving increasing numbers of women to seek vaginal cosmetic surgery, according to a Dec. 8 press release from UK Feminista. Hundreds have signed up to the London event's Facebook page.

Women will be allowed to serve in the British Royal Navy's submarines, according to a Dec. 8 press release from the Ministry of Defense. The decision came after an 18-month review looking at the legal, operational, health, social, technical and financial issues of allowing women to serve on submarines.

The FBI voted to update the agency's definition of rape Dec. 6, The Huffington Post reported Dec. 7. The new definition takes out the requirement of a "forcible" assault and the restriction that the attack must be toward a woman.

Men found guilty of harassing women in Saudi Arabia may soon be publicly shamed and fined, The International Business Times reported Dec. 7.

The Obama administration announced a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, reported The Huffington Post reported Dec. 6. Obama also ordered U.S. agencies to improve protections for gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers.

Canada will continue to support the women of Afghanistan after international forces withdraw from the country in three years, CBC reported Dec. 6.

Women are set to walk away with a record number of seats in Slovenia's parliamentary election, The Washington Post reported Dec. 5. Preliminary results on Dec. 5 indicated that women won 28 seats, an increase from the current 14 women-held seats in the 90-member assembly.

Nigerian activists rallied outside of the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations on Dec. 5 to denounce Nigerian legislation that criminalizes homosexuality and LGBT advocacy. The activists submitted a letter, signed online by supporters, to consular officials outside of the mission offices in midtown Manhattan, N.Y.

Occupy Wall Street's spirit infused a Dec. 3 convention of about 100 domestic workers at the New York Academy of Medicine, in uptown Manhattan. In August 2010 New York passed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, granting an estimated 200,000 housekeepers, child care workers and elderly caregivers in the state basic rights, including some paid time off and protection from discrimination and harassment. A year later, New York domestic workers and their allies are considering how to push this groundbreaking law nationally.