Women in the Wake of Disaster

A woman in Burma. Photo: Will Baxter / WPN

Ann at Feministing has posted two important articles this week that are true must-reads. One discusses how the pro-woman spin used by the Bush administration to justify the U.S. presence in Iraq hides a sad truth about how Iraqi women's lives have actually changed since the start of the occupation. The other looks at the dangers that women face in the wake of a natural disaster, like the earthquake in China and the cyclone in Myanmar (Burma).

Ann also recommends two ways that we can help the victims of the cyclone:

MADRE: "MADRE is working with the Women's Human Rights Defenders Network and Burmese women's organizations. We learned from our work with women's organizations in the aftermath of the tsunami that, in order to best identify and meet the communities' needs, we must rely on the local women's organizations." Donate here.

American Red Cross International Response Fund: Every day people around the world are suffering from countless crises, like the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. Your gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund helps provide them immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support. Donate here or call 1-800-HELP NOW.