Women in the World: Somalia’s Fierce Daughter

Week of October 22, 2012 TRAILBLAZING 1. Somalia's Fierce Daughter Dr. Deqo Mohamed truly has a foot in two worlds. A native of Somalia, she lived in Atlanta for years before returning home, where she helps her mother run a hospital and camp for 90,000 displaced people in the embattled country. This year, Mohamed, a physician along with her mother, Dr. Hawa Abdi, helped save hospital residents from a deadly fight between terrorists and the government. Then she got a thief jailed when he tried to steal her mother's land. She says of her homeland, "When you're there, you're making a difference. Being a doctor in the U.S., you're dealing with laws, regulations. In Somalia, you're not—how should I say—a money-making machine. You have a purpose of life." Read it at The Daily Beast DEBATE 2. Free Birth Control: Could It Transform Society? What would happen if contraceptives were provided to women free of charge? Many good things, say writers Brian Alexander and Larry Young on The Daily Beast. They cite a recent study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology showing that abortion rates fell sharply among women who were given free contraception. But the implications of the study are far bigger, and longer lasting, than just preventing abortion, they say. Those implications have to do with what happens to a society when unwanted pregnancies turn into unwanted children who lack parental nurturing. It's a negative cycle, the writers say—and it's a reason why conservatives should support easily available contraception, not oppose it. Read it at The Daily Beast WOMB WARS 3. Tammy Duckworth Talks Back Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh pulled a Todd Akin last week, saying it's a myth that an abortion could save a pregnant woman's life during a difficult pregnancy, due to advances in science. In discussing whether he would support an exception to abortion if the mother's life were at stake, the Tea Party Republican said, "There is no such exception. With modern technology and science, you can't find one instance." Walsh's opponent, Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, told The Daily Beast's Allison Yarrow that she's glad "constituents are getting a better look behind the curtain of who Joe Walsh is and what he stands for." Walsh amended his statement after the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists corrected him. Read it at The Daily Beast GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET Culture Beast Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast.

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