NLIRH Publications by Issue Area

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) supports healthcare 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.1 These services should be provided on an equitable basis, free from discrimination or coercion. Healthcare reform can take many paths, and it is important that the needs of all Latinas, including immigrant women, women of color and low-income women are front and center.

This action kit includes everything you need to take action to ensure that health care reform is comprehensive and covers the needs of women and immigrants.

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and account for one in every seven U.S. women of reproductive age. Latina immigrants are less likely to receive adequate reproductive health care, including annual pap smears, contraceptives, HIV treatment and sex education.  Due to barriers, lack of health care coverage, basic information, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, as well as fear of deportation many Latinas do not have access to reproductive health care services.

The high rate of poverty among Latinas, coupled with limited public funding sources for abortion make it difficult for many Latinas to access abortion. This makes many Latinas turn to unsafe and unhealthy methods of self-induction. Barriers such as limited funding, Medicaid restrictions, cultural or language differences and lack of access to education about services leave many Latinas without any safe and legal options.

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) supports healthcare 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.1 These services should be provided on an equitable basis, free from discrimination or coercion. Healthcare reform can take many paths, and it is important that the needs of all Latinas, including immigrant women, women of color and low-income women are front and center.

This action kit includes everything you need to take action to ensure that health care reform is comprehensive and covers the needs of women and immigrants.

This edition of Instantes highlights the need for including migrant farmworkers' perspectives in health care reform. It also features our new Civic Particpation campaign, the Latino Vote during the 2008 elections and spotlights Miami activist, Erika Cordova.

This edition of Instantes focuses on cervical cancer, HPV and Latinas, and the launch of NLIRH's Cuídate. Ármate. Edúcate. Latinas for Cervical Cancer Prevention Campaign. Dr. Elena Gutierrez, Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago discusses the Sterilization Policy Project, a follow-up study to research conducted during the 1970s that examined hospital sterilization policies and procedures, and more specifically their compliance with federal guidelines. Also spotlights New York City activist, Diana Salas.

Frequently asked questions and answers about the Human Papilloma Virus, Cervical Cancer and HPV.

Community Health Centers greatly benefit all members of a community neighboorhood. Many centers provide health, recreation, workshop, classrooms and other valuable space for people of all ages. An important aspect of NLIRH is to promote the growth of these centers and the amount of aid they get both from the federal and state governemnt, but also the community. Community health centers (CHCs) were designed to provide affordable and comprehensive primary and preventative health care services to low-income individuals living in medically underserved areas. Community health centers receive specific federal funding to provide free or low-cost services, including reproductive health services. Over the last several years, federal funding for public health care programs, including Title X, has diminished.

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and account for one in every seven U.S. women of reproductive age. Latina immigrants are less likely to receive adequate reproductive health care, including annual pap smears, contraceptives, HIV treatment and sex education.  Due to barriers, lack of health care coverage, basic information, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, as well as fear of deportation many Latinas do not have access to reproductive health care services.

A migrant farm worker is an individual whose principal employment is in agriculture on a seasonal basis and who establishes a temporary residence for such employment. In the year 2000 over 85% of these workers were uninsured. Often without access to any contraception, family planning or abortion services. Aside from reproductive disparities there are also a number of other barriers and inequalities these people face everyday.

The high rate of poverty among Latinas, coupled with limited public funding sources for abortion make it difficult for many Latinas to access abortion. This makes many Latinas turn to unsafe and unhealthy methods of self-induction. Barriers such as limited funding, Medicaid restrictions, cultural or language differences and lack of access to education about services leave many Latinas without any safe and legal options.

The incidence of cervical cancer for Latina women in the United States is highest amongst all racial/ethnic groups, almost twice as high as non-Latina white women. Latina women have the 2nd highest mortality rate from cervical cancer (after black women), although mortality for Latina women are higher in communities along the Texas-Mexico border. Latinas face high mortality rates from cervical cancer as a result of their low rates of cervical cancer screening. Latinas’ limited access to adequate cervical cancer screenings is a result of barriers to access such as fear associated with their lack of immigration status, embarrassment, lack of knowledge, lack of insurance and lack of English proficiency.

Latina women have the highest rates of cervical cancer amongst all racial/ethnic groups in the United States. In 2006, the FDA approved the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer caused by four strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Our community had many questions about the vaccine and cervical cancer. In response, the Cuídate. Ármate. Edúcate. Latinas for Cervical Cancer Prevention Campaign was launched in 2007 to open the dialogue about cervical cancer in our communities.

This guide will walk you through the steps of planning an in-state legislative advocacy day on your issue. When planning a legislative advocacy day, whether it’s at the state capitol or at a local district office, remember that your voice needs to be heard.

In an effort to increase community engagement amongst Latinas, NLIRH created this toolkit on civic participation to present a myriad of ways that all Latinos could become active in civic and political affairs.  It is critical to understand the U.S. political system and how elections affect the Latino voting, engaging with the community. There are approximately 42.7 million Latinos in the U.S., more than 16 million of whom are eligible to vote. Only 9.3 million Latinos are registered voters and only 7.6 million voted in 2004. Latinos taking part in candidates and local decision makers and holding positions within their communities is very important in the fight to improve reproductive health and advance social justice for Latinas, their families and their communities.

This edition of Instantes provides an update on the judicial nominations process and highlights what Katrina has shown us about human rights in the United States. The issue also highlights the Latinas for Justice Breakfast held in Chicago as part of NLIRH's campaign to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue with regards to the Supreme Court nomination process.

In this edition of Instantes, we examine new frameworks: the human right to reproductive health.The Chicago activist, Diana Mendoza shares her thoughts on the ideal Latina reproductive justice activist - La Mujer Maravilla.

This edition of Instantes provides an update on the judicial nominations process and highlights what Katrina has shown us about human rights in the United States. The issue also highlights the Latinas for Justice Breakfast held in Chicago as part of NLIRH's campaign to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue with regards to the Supreme Court nomination process.

NLIRH advocates a standard of care that will provide Latinas with all the possible options in preventing cervical cancer: regular HPV and cervical cancer screenings during gynecological visits, comprehensive sexuality information, affordable access to reproductive health technologies such as the HPV vaccine and accurate information on preventing HPV and other sexually transmitted infections. NLIRH supports Latina’s full access to new reproductive technology when it is coupled with unbiased information and implementation that is free from coercive policies and practices.

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and account for one in every seven U.S. women of reproductive age. Latina immigrants are less likely to receive adequate reproductive health care, including annual pap smears, contraceptives, HIV treatment and sex education.  Due to barriers, lack of health care coverage, basic information, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, as well as fear of deportation many Latinas do not have access to reproductive health care services.

A migrant farm worker is an individual whose principal employment is in agriculture on a seasonal basis and who establishes a temporary residence for such employment. In the year 2000 over 85% of these workers were uninsured. Often without access to any contraception, family planning or abortion services. Aside from reproductive disparities there are also a number of other barriers and inequalities these people face everyday.