In this Huffington Post opinion piece, Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, writes, “In 2012, there is a presidency at stake — so what does that mean for women’s health and rights in the coming year? How will political posturing and the race for votes affect what really matters?”

Sippel writes that she anticipates “[m]ore attacks on women’s health and rights, especially legal, affordable access to birth control and abortion services both at home and abroad,” as well as “[s]talled, compromised, or anti-woman legislation.” She adds, “Through all the noise, it’s our job to keep focused on what matters,” such “as legal, affordable access to voluntary family planning and safe abortion services both at home and abroad,” “voluntary family planning programs in developing countries,” and family planning as a means of HIV prevention and treatment. “An election year means that women’s health and rights are even more vulnerable to political exploitation than in previous years. Our job as advocates is to be aware, and listen for what matters,” she concludes (1/12).