Women’s health, rights gain focus in February

February is women, girls and transgender women’s health month in The City after a resolution from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor David Campos, along with 25 women’s health and community groups, helped launch #SFWOMENHEALTH, an on-line social media campaign designed to encourage enrollment in Covered California last week:

“February is a very special month … it’s Black History month. We wanted to focus on the disparity to health access that disproportionately impact women of color and African American women in particular.”

The board is expected to approve the resolution Tuesday during a required second vote.

The vote will coincide with an organizing drive highlighting preventative care available through Covered California and encouraging women to sign up. Women make 80 percent of the health care decisions for their families, according to a statement.

The deadline to sign up for insurance offered through Covered California, as part of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is March 31.

The bill is co-sponsored by supervisors Mark Ferrell, Scott Wiener, John Avalos, David Chiu, Katy Tang and Eric Mar.

In a similar move, Board president David Chiu is expected to sponsor a resolution Tuesday opposing violence against women and proclaiming Feb. 14 as “One Billion Rising for Justice Day” in San Francisco.

The global campaign, One Billion Rising for Justice, calls on women and men around the world to tell their own stories of surviving a violent incident through dance and art, while San Francisco will be hosting an event in the Civic Center.

Monique Wilson, One Billion Rising director said in a statement.

“Justice begins when we speak, release, and acknowledge the truth in solidarity and community.”