Welcome | Bienvenidos

1

Our Mission

The mission of NLIRH is to ensure the fundamental human right to reproductive health and justice for Latinas, their families and their communities through public education, community mobilization and policy advocacy.

Breaking News: NLIRH meets with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

On Friday, June 26th, 2009, NLIRH, along with other advocacy organizations, met with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and her staff regarding the status of reproductive health care in health care reform and her commitment to reproductive health care issues. NLIRH submitted its priorities for health care reform to senior HHS staff members. To read NLIRH's priorities for health care reform, please click here.

Inclusive ENDA Introduced in House


On June 24th, 2009, Representative Barney Frank introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), inclusive of protections for gender identity, with 117 cosponsors.  ENDA prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  A previous version of ENDA did not include protections for gender identity - ignoring the needs of transgender persons, who are particularly vulnerable to discrimination in employment.

 

How does this affect Latinas?

  • Under a health care system in which access to care is so often connected to employment through insurance, employment discrimination can be a barrier to LGBT Latin@s accessing in the health care they need.
  • Queer people of color and poor queer people have often been ignored by the broader LGBT movement, and this measure addresses an important factor in the oppression of our communities.
  • Non-discriminatory employment is a very important piece of our struggle for reproductive justice, and an inclusive ENDA will bring us closer to our vision of equality and justice.

 

Update on Health Care Reform

Congress has recently launched a formal debate for reforming the ailing U.S. health care system. A Senate committee is currently considering a comprehensive bill backed by Democrats and the Obama administration. In the House, hearings on the Tri Committee Proposal, a single health care reform bill, are scheduled for this week. Both chambers are striving to vote on bills before the August recess in order that the conference committee can negotiate a compromise and send it to President Obama by October.

 

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) supports health care reform that will move our current system toward one that will improve the health, and well-being of all Latinas, their families and communities. NLIRH embraces a human rights approach to health care, ensuring that all health services are accessible, available, affordable, and of good quality for everyone.

 

In particular, the Latina Institute supports a health care system that addresses the needs of all Latinas, including undocumented and low-income women, recognizing the following key concerns:

  • The current health care system leaves many Latinas falling through the cracks; 38% of Latinas are uninsured, the highest rate amongst all groups of women.
  • It is important that such a system includes a full and comprehensive range of services, including coverage for family planning, abortions, prenatal care and preventive services.
  • Moreover, NLIRH supports a system that is not only inclusive of all people and offers a comprehensive range of services, but is also one that emphasizes culturally competent and linguistically appropriate services.

For more information, please read our Statement on Health Care for All.

 

If you are seeking reproductive health services, including abortion contact Planned Parenthood by web or by calling 1-800-230-7526. You can also contact the National Abortion Federation by web or by calling 1-800-772-9100. These services are bilingual and confidential.

Si busca información acerca de servicios de aborto o planificación familiar, por favor llame Planned Parenthood al número 1-800-230-7526. También puede llamar a la línea de ayuda de La Federación Nacional de Aborto al número 1-800-772-9100, o visite su página web aquí. Estos servicios son bilingües y confidenciales.

Last updated 06/22/09