Women’s rights denied: Abortion on the line as Italy’s far right eyes power

Issued on: 23/09/2022

Benjamin DODMAN

Italy’s surging far-right parties have been eroding abortion rights at the
regional level, adding further hurdles to what was already an obstacle course
for many women. With Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition tipped to win the
country’s general election on Sunday, there are fears the same policies could
be replicated at the national level.

When Silvia* was taken off the pill on medical grounds, her doctor did not
mention the possibility of using other contraceptive methods. When she ended up
with an unwanted pregnancy months later, the same doctor chose to ignore her
request for an abortion.

Continued: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220923-women-s-rights-denied-abortion-on-the-line-as-italy-s-far-right-eyes-power

Abortion in Italy is legal, but finding one is hard

Issued on: 14/06/2022

Rome (AFP) – For 40 years, gynaecologist Michele Mariano has been the only person performing abortions in Italy's conservative Molise region. He has delayed retiring twice because no one will replace him, many refusing to terminate pregnancies as conscientious objectors.

It's an extreme example, but emblematic of a wider issue in Italy, where abortion up to 90 days after conception has been legal since 1978 -- but many healthcare providers don't offer them.

Continued: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220614-abortion-in-italy-is-legal-but-finding-one-is-hard

Italy’s futile abortion laws

Despite legislation, far-right politicians and religious organisations have entrenched ways to deny women their right to an abortion and shame those who do terminate a pregnancy.

By: Alex Čizmić
5 May 2021

There are laws that are enacted to bring about real-life change. There are others that are pushed through simply to give the illusion of progress. The latter seems to be the case in Italy with Law 194/78.

This legislation from 22 May 1978 decriminalises and regulates the procedure for accessing an abortion but, according to a report by the minister of health published in 2019 on the implementation of the law, conscientious objection among gynaecologists reached 68.4% on average with peaks of 100% in certain hospitals.

Continued: https://www.newframe.com/italys-futile-abortion-laws/

Lessons for Ireland from the Pro-Choice movement in Italy

Lessons for Ireland from the Pro-Choice movement in Italy
Date: Mon, 2017-09-25

I moved to Ireland from Italy shortly after the Strike4Repeal of the 8th of March, a mass mobilisation on the streets of Dublin in protest of Ireland’s archaic abortion laws, which I followed closely on social media. While still in Italy, I had been involved in organising a successful feminist demonstration in the city where I lived, on that same date (International Women’s Day), and I felt deep sympathy and admiration for the Irish pro-choice activists and the amazing work they were carrying out. At first glance it was unbelievable to me that in a western-European country people still had to take the streets to demand access to abortion. While the Irish situation initially felt like something I could not relate to, I soon remembered where I was from and I had to think twice: despite abortion being legal in my home country, safe and effective access to abortion service is currently utopia.

Continued at source: Worker's Solidarity Movement: https://www.wsm.ie/c/lessons-ireland-pro-choice-italy