Women’s Universal Health Initiative addresses health care reform by focusing on the role of women. Women are an important and significant force in the struggle for an adequate health care system.

Women’s Universal Health Initiative is women sharing with women to show why it is important for us to think of the special needs of women as we go forward to achieve universal health care for everyone.

Women’s Universal Health Initiative is not another campaign working for a specific form of universal health care. It is an initiative to achieve universal health care and to make sure that women’s special needs are recognized.

We do not speak for women - women can speak for themselves. We are working to make sure women’s voices are heard and to be a resource for women.

Our purpose is to share information with diverse constituencies of women on the building blocks of health care reform so we all can then become advocates within, and for, our own communities.

• To have women speaking for themselves, to identify the relevant issues we need to address in restructuring the health care system.

• To have women understand the issues involved in restructuring the health care system and how it affects them as women and as members of specific cultural or ethnic groups

• To have women articulate their needs and be active participants in planning for a health system that addresses their needs.

• To educate women with information that complements their community action skills.