EU unlocks funding for safe abortion travel but it’s a long road for Maltese women

The European Commission says existing EU funds can support access to safe abortion care, including travel abroad, but with abortion illegal in Malta, any benefit for Maltese women will depend on other countries or NGOs stepping in

2 March 2026
by Laura Calleja

The European Commission has said existing EU funding programmes can be used to support access to safe abortion care, especially for women in vulnerable situations.

The clarification followed the commission’s decision not to create a new funding mechanism to expand abortion access across Europe as requested by pro-choice activists. The request was made after 1.2 million citizens from all EU countries backed the My Voice, My Choice initiative.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/140023/eu_unlocks_funding_for_safe_abortion_travel_but_its_a_long_road_for_maltese_women

02.03.2026

Commentary

Cyrus Engerer

European Commission

European Social Fund Plus

Isabel Stabile

Life Network Foundation

My Voice My Choice campaign

Voice for Choice send open letter to PM demanding abortion decriminalization

Pro-choice NGO Voice for Choice says criminal investigations and legal proceedings still punish women who undergo abortion

24 January 2026
by Juliana Zammit

Voice for Choice has called for the formal decriminalization of abortion in Malta through a letter written to Prime Minister Robert Abela, arguing that the current legal framework punishes women through investigations and prosecutions, even when imprisonment is avoided.

In an open letter, the advocacy group acknowledged the Prime Minister’s recent recognition that imprisoning women for abortion “serves no one and causes real harm,” describing this as “a position civil society has been advancing for years.”

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139375/voice_for_choice_send_open_letter_to_pm_demanding_abortion_decriminalisation
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139375/voice_for_choice_send_open_letter_to_pm_demanding_abortion_decriminalisation

24.01.2026

News

decriminalization of abortion

Malta Voice for Choice

Malta – Robert Abela: No woman will go to prison for abortion on my watch

Prime Minister Robert Abela says he would use constitutional prerogative to recommend changing jail term imposed on women for abortion to non-custodial sentence

18 January 2026
by Nicole Meilak

No woman will go to prison for abortion under Robert Abela’s watch, the prime minister told MaltaToday in an informal exchange last week.

Abela told the MaltaToday newsroom that he does not believe women should go to prison for having an abortion and will comfortably use his prerogative as prime minister to recommend swapping any prison sentence with a conditional discharge.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/139225/robert_abela_no_woman_will_go_to_prison_for_abortion_on_my_watch_

18.01.2026

957 Students Say Malta Should Remove The Three-Year Abortion Prison Penalty

By Ana Tortell
December 24, 2025

957 students in Malta said the punishment of up to three years’ imprisonment for a woman who has an abortion should be removed from the law. Out of 1,074 respondents, just 137 disagreed with this prompt.

Similarly, 824 respondents agreed that punishing healthcare professionals for assisting an abortion with up to four years in prison should be removed from the law, while 159 disagreed and the remainder did not express an opinion.

Continued: https://lovinmalta.com/opinion/survey/957-students-say-malta-should-remove-the-three-year-abortion-prison-penalty/

24.12.2025

abortion law reform

Doctors For Choice Malta

Listen: How religious power is still shaping abortion laws in some European countries

by Evi Kiorri, Brussels
December 22, 2025
Podcast – 20:30 minutes

Abortion remains illegal in Malta and highly restricted in Poland, despite ongoing pressure from European institutions to uphold reproductive rights.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we examine the historical and current influence of religious institutions on abortion policy across Europe, and the political forces maintaining these restrictions.

We are joined by Neil Datta, executive director and founder of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, and Magdalena Chrzczonowicz, editor-in-chief of OKO.press and contributor to the cross-border investigation Exporting Abortion, who share insights on how restrictive laws impact women and how cross-border initiatives are working to protect access to safe abortion care.

Continued; https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/ar23b6aa4a

22.12.2025

Interviews/Podcasts

Europe Talks Back

European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Exporting Abortion

Magdalena Chrzczonowicz

European Parliament’s abortion vote lays bare Malta’s political exceptionalism

While the European Parliament’s decision to back a voluntary abortion access fund will not change Maltese law, the voting patterns highlight how Malta’s political parties remain out of step with mainstream European positions on reproductive rights.

22 December 2025
by James Debono

The European Parliament’s vote to support the creation of an EU fund facilitating access to abortion care was widely described as historic.

The plan would establish a voluntary, opt-in financial mechanism to help member states provide abortion care to women who can’t access it in their own country and who choose to travel to one with more liberal laws.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/138836/european_parliaments_abortion_vote_lays_bare_maltas_political_exceptionalism_

22.12.2025

Malta’s Nationalist Party

My Voice My Choice campaign

Abortion Debate at University of Malta highlights deep divisions on law and ethics

Yasmin Mifsud
Wednesday, 29 October 2025

A debate on abortion held at the University of Malta brought together opposing perspectives on one of the country’s most sensitive social issues.

Organised by the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) and moderated by broadcaster and academic Andrew Azzopardi, the event featured Marianna Debono from the Life Network Foundation representing the pro-life position, and lawyer Elise Micallef Peplow, who spoke in favour of the pro-choice stance.

Continued: https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2025-10-29/local-news/Abortion-Debate-at-University-of-Malta-highlights-deep-divisions-on-law-and-ethics-6736284369

29.10.2025

News

Andrew Azzopardi

debate on abortion

Elise Micallef Peplow

Kunsill Studenti Universitarji

MALTA – Lawyer demands answers on secret abortion medical board

Matthew Bonanno, Sunday Times of Malta
12 Oct 2025

A lawyer and activist has criticized what she calls a lack of transparency surrounding the decisions of the medical team that determines whether a pregnancy can be terminated on medical grounds.

The medical team, made up of three specialist practitioners, was introduced as part of changes to the Criminal Code, known as Bill 28, in 2023. The so-called abortion bill states that a termination can be permitted if a woman’s life is at immediate risk or her health is in grave jeopardy.

Continued: https://www.pressreader.com/malta/the-sunday-times-malta-1805/20251012/281638196409292

13.10.2025

News

Bill 28

Emma Portelli Bonnici

medical boards for abortion

ADPD calls for decriminalisation of abortion in Malta

As protestors take to the streets of Valletta later on Saturday, ADPD insists woman should not face prison for taking the difficult decision of terminating a pregnancy

27 September 2025
by Karl Azzopardi

ADPD has reiterated its call for the decriminalisation of abortion in Malta. ‘The sooner this is done the better as it serves the purpose of encouraging those women who need help to do so, as a result saving lives,” chairperson Sandra Gauci said on Saturday.

The statement comes as a protest on abortion rights is set to take place later today in Valletta.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/137253/adpd_calls_for_decriminalisation_of_abortion_in_malta_

28.09.2025

News

decriminalisation of abortion

Malta Voice for Choice

NGOs urge Maltese MPs to decriminalise abortion

September 27, 2025
Aqra bil- Malti

Three non-governmental organisations gathered on Saturday morning in front of the law courts in Valletta, urging MPs from both sides of Parliament to ensure that abortion is no longer treated as a criminal offence in Malta and to put an end to the injustice faced by Maltese women.

They explained that, as has already occurred in at least one case, when a person takes abortion pills and suffers complications, the State is effectively telling her to remain at home and endure the consequences in silence—otherwise she risks arrest if she seeks medical help. The organisations appealed for an end to the possibility that someone who undergoes or assists in an abortion could be prosecuted in court.

Continued: https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/ngos-urge-maltese-mps-to-decriminalise-abortion/