Four disturbing aspects to Slovakia limiting abortion access for Ukrainian women

More reports about rapes by the Russian army against the Ukrainian girls and women who are arriving in Slovakia have been exposed. In the meantime, the Slovak parliament is discussing proposals on banning abortion for women without permanent residency. This cynical targeting of Ukrainian girls and women is disturbing, says Denisa Nešťáková.

22 April 2022
by Dr. Denisa Nešťáková

As more information on crimes perpetrated by the Russian army in Ukraine has been exposed, and more reports and testimonies on sexualised violence have been uncovered, the Slovak public has responded with horror. At first, society has been paralysed, but soon after, various NGOs started campaigns to collect and donate the so-called "morning-after" pills and abortion pills for Ukrainian girls and women raped and impregnated by Russian soldiers. Information on the availability of abortions in Slovakia was provided for them.

Continued: https://www.gwi-boell.de/en/2022/04/22/four-disturbing-aspects-slovakia-limiting-abortion-access-ukrainian-women

22.04.2022

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conscientious objection

Slovakia rejects proposed law restricting access to abortion

By The Associated Press
Thu., Nov. 11, 2021

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s parliament on Thursday narrowly rejected proposed legislation that would have tightened access to abortion in the European Union country.

The bill was rejected by one vote, as 67 of the 134 lawmakers present in
the 150-seat house voted in favor of it. A similar proposal to restrict
abortion was rejected a year ago, also by one vote.

Continued: https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ts/news/world/europe/2021/11/11/slovakia-rejects-proposed-law-restricting-access-to-abortion.html

11.11.2021

Slovakia: Attempt to rollback access to abortion must be rejected

November 10, 2021
Amnesty International

Ahead of tomorrow’s expected parliamentary vote on a bill that would severely restrict access to abortion in Slovakia, Rado Sloboda, Director of Amnesty Slovakia said:

“Imposing unjustified and harmful hurdles to getting an abortion would endanger the health and even the lives of women and girls and pregnant people and violates their human rights.

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/11/slovakia-attempt-to-rollback-access-to-abortion-must-be-rejected/

10.11.2021

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Amnesty International

Amnesty Slovakia

anti-choice restrictions

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Difficulties linger in accessing legal abortion in Slovakia

By Lucia Yar | EURACTIV.sk
Oct 10, 2021

As many as a third of all hospitals and
medical facilities surveyed refuse to provide legal abortions on the grounds of
conscientious objection, according to a study by the feminist organisation
Possibility of Choice.

Due to conscientious objection, individuals can refuse to perform certain
medical procedures based on their religious or personal beliefs. However, no
legal norm states that entire medical facilities can exercise conscientious
objection. In addition to hospitals, pharmacies often refer to it when refusing
to sell hormonal contraception to women.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/difficulties-linger-in-accessing-legal-abortion-in-slovakia/

10.10.2021

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Possibility of Choice

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UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Europe Update: Abortion Rights at Risk in Poland and Slovakia

Center for Reproductive Rights
11.06.2020

Recent developments in Poland and Slovakia demonstrate the ongoing struggle to defend abortion rights against coordinated and systemic attacks on sexual and reproductive rights across the world.

Poland 
Poland has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe and access to abortion in the country is extremely limited—and often practically impossible. Poland is one of only two countries in the European Union that does not allow abortion on request or on broad social grounds. A recent ruling by the country’s Constitutional Tribunal will make abortion care even more difficult to access.

Continued: https://reproductiverights.org/story/europe-update-abortion-rights-risk-poland-and-slovakia

In Europe and the US, abortion rights are under renewed threat

by Emma Reynolds, CNN
Sun November 1, 2020

(CNN)The Abortion Dream Team usually receives about 400 calls a month, from women seeking advice and information. Last week, the Polish advocacy group had 700 in the space of three days, according to team member Justyna Wydrzynska.

Some came from women who had just arrived at hospital to have abortions because of fetal defects -- only to be told to go home after Poland's highest court on October 22 imposed a near-total ban on abortion.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/01/europe/abortion-rights-poland-us-slovakia-intl/index.html

01.11.2020

anti-choice restrictions

Center for Reproductive Rights

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fetal defects

Geneva Consensus Declaration

Marie Stopes International

Poland Constitutional Tribunal

Poland Federation for Women and Family Planning

Roe v. Wade

Sarah Shaw

severe fetal abnormalities

Slovakian woman breaks silence on abortion as key vote nears

By Sophie Davies
OCTOBER 19, 2020

(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Ivana Gaziova had an abortion as a teenager, she didn’t want to talk about it to anyone apart from her closest cousin. Six years on, a push to tighten Slovakia’s abortion law impelled her to speak out.

Gaziova, a waitress from Bratislava, has gone public with her own story to campaign against the government-led proposal, which critics see as part of a trend towards more socially conservative policies in central Europe.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/article/slovakia-women-abortion/feature-slovakian-woman-breaks-silence-on-abortion-as-key-vote-nears-idUSL8N2H65AV

When will conservatives learn that banning abortion does little to address demographic decline?

October 3, 2020
Milana Nikolova

A new Slovak bill limiting access to abortion – proposed by the populist OĽaNO (Ordinary People) party MP Anna Záborská – adds to a heap of similar laws that have been proposed throughout the emerging Europe region in recent years. The bill was brought before the Slovak parliament on Tuesday, but despite a heated debate that continued until late in the evening, a final decision could not be reached and a formal vote on its adoption was postponed: for now.

The draft bill proposes doubling the amount of time a patient should wait between requesting and receiving an abortion, increasing the amount of personal data collected about the patient, and requiring a compulsory second medical opinion, along with other measures designed to make getting an abortion more difficult.

Continued: https://emerging-europe.com/after-hours/when-will-conservatives-learn-that-banning-abortion-does-little-to-address-demographic-decline/

Slovak conservatives hope to tighten abortion law, rights groups protest

Radoslav Stoklasa, Reuters
Sep 24, 2020

BRATISLAVA — Christian lawmakers in Slovakia hope to win parliamentary approval for a tightening of abortion rules in a vote expected on Friday, part of a trend towards more socially conservative policies across parts of central Europe.

If adopted, the new regulation would still allow abortion on demand until 12 weeks but would double waiting periods to 96 hours, ban clinics from advertising services and make women declare their reasons for termination.

Continued: https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/crime-pmn/slovak-conservatives-hope-to-tighten-abortion-law-rights-groups-protest

Slovakia: Draconian restrictions on abortion would endanger the lives of women and girls

16 September 2020
Amnesty International

Lawmakers in Slovakia must reject a draconian law that would impose new barriers to abortion and endanger the health and wellbeing of women and girls, said Amnesty International, ahead of the start of a parliamentary plenary session that will debate on a new abortion bill.

If passed, the law would introduce additional barriers to women and girls seeking abortion, doubling unnecessary waiting periods, imposing new medical authorization requirements for abortion on health grounds and forcing them to state their reasons for seeking care.

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/09/slovakia-draconian-restrictions-on-abortion-would-endanger-the-lives-of-women-and-girls/

16.09.2020