Our Bodies Ourselves

CONTACT:

34 Plympton St.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 451-3666 x11
ourbodiesourselves.org

Judy Norsigian, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Since 1970, Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS), also known as The Boston Women's Health Book Collective, has been a leading advocate for women's health issues. Its ground-breaking publication, "Our Bodies, Ourselves", has been translated into 20 languages by women's groups around the world. OBOS is literally changing the world for women: by placing women's health issues in the broader context of political, social and economic influences; and by encouraging women to value and share their insights and experiences with complex health care delivery systems, to question assumptions, to work to ensure access to the latest health information, and to organize for better care. Its Public Voice Program provides evidence-based and women-centered information to grassroots women's health and reproductive rights organizations. OBOS has also initiated a Global Translation/Adaptation Program that helps worldwide organizations translate the OBOS book into other languages. And its Latina Health Initiative offers women's health information to Latinas in the U.S. and Latin America. An updated, eight edition of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" was released in 2005, and the organization plans to publish single-topic books on menopause and childbirth, due in Fall 2006 and Fall 2007, respectively. It is also working on new language versions in Swahili, Bengali, and Arabic. This noble work needs to be free, which means it must rely on philanthropy. You can help.

(1999: HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women: General)