Inside Story Americas: Are Republicans Waging War on Women?

August 29, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

As debate rages over Republican positions on abortion and contraception, we ask if a war is being waged on women's rights. Guests Judy Norsigian and Frank Schaeffer discuss.

Photograph: A demonstrator shouts "Stop the War on Women" during a speech by former US Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida August 28, 2012.

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In This Video

Women's Rights

Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls of many societies worldwide. In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed. They differ from bro... Explore this topic

Abortion debate

The abortion debate refers to the ongoing controversy surrounding the moral and legal status of abortion. The two main groups involved in the abortion debate are the self-described "pro-choice" movement (emphasizing the right of women to choose whether they wish to bring a fet... Explore this topic

Todd Akin

William Todd Akin is the former U.S. Representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district, serving from 2001 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. Born in New York City, Akin grew up in the Greater St. Louis area. After receiving his bachelor's degree from Worce... Explore this topic

Mitt Romney

Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman who served as the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. He was the Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election. Raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, by his parents Lenore and Geo... Explore this topic

Reproductive rights

Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide fre... Explore this topic

Paul Ryan

Paul Davis Ryan is the United States Representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district and current chairman of the House Budget Committee. He was the Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2012 election. He was born and raised in Janesv... Explore this topic

Republican Party (United States)

Partai Republik AS adalah salah satu dari dua partai politik besar di Amerika Serikat. Setelah pemilu paruh waktu 2006 partai ini kehilangan kedudukannya sebagai mayoritas dalam Senat dan Dewan Perwakilan AS. GOP adalah partai yang lebih konservatif di antara kedua partai besa... Explore this topic

Abortion

A forced abortion may occur when the perpetrator causes abortion by force, threat or coercion, or by taking advantage of woman's incapability to give her consent. This may also include the instances when the conduct was neither justified by medical or hospital treatment. Like ... Explore this topic

Contraception

Hormonal contraception refers to birth control methods that act on the endocrine system. Almost all methods are composed of steroid hormones, although in India one selective estrogen receptor modulator is marketed as a contraceptive. The original hormonal method—the combined o... Explore this topic

Politics of the United States

The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States, Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments. The executive branch is head... Explore this topic

Also See

Women's Rights

Abortion debate

Todd Akin

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