Abortion rights initiative hits 1 million signatures, prompting EU action

The Citizens' Initiative “My voice, my choice,” calling for safe access to abortion in the European Union, has reached the necessary one million signatures for the EU Commission to issue a response.

By Marta Iraola Iribarren
24/12/2024

'My voice, my choice,' a citizens' initiative advocating for safe and accessible abortion in the EU, has secured 1 million signatures across the bloc and exceeded the required thresholds in 15 countries - more than double the necessary seven.

"We managed to connect the entire EU and build a network across Europe. Most importantly, we clearly demonstrated that the right to freely decide about childbirth is a shared value across Europe," said Nika Kovač, the campaign coordinator, in a press release.

Continued: https://www.euronews.com/health/2024/12/24/abortion-rights-initiative-hits-1-million-signatures-prompting-eu-action

24.12.2024

News

8th of March Institute

Charter of Fundamental Rights

European Citizens' Initiative on abortion

France’s Macron wants to make abortion a right at EU level

Reuters
March 8, 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that he wants the European Union to guarantee the right to an abortion in its Charter of Fundamental Rights.

…"We're going to lead this fight in our continent, in our Europe, where reactionary forces are attacking women's rights before attacking the rights of minorities," he told the crowd attending the ceremony in Paris, in front of the Justice Ministry. "This is why I want to enshrine that guaranteed freedom to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union."

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/frances-macron-wants-make-abortion-right-eu-level-2024-03-08/

08.03.2024

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Emmanual Macron

enshrining abortion rights in constitution

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Why is abortion still illegal in Malta in 2024?

By MARIA SORAYA RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS
14. FEB 2024

On Wednesday (14 February) around 70 brave abortion activists from Malta will gather in Brussels. Their mission? Demanding that the right to their own bodies be respected. This bold move shines a light on a crucial issue that needs immediate attention — we must make sure that the right to abortion becomes part of the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Because while the European Union often takes pride in championing gender equality around the world, such as promoting global policies to end female genital mutilation, increase educational opportunities for girls, and eradicate female poverty, yet within a country in our own territory, women are suffering under misogynist laws.

Continued: https://euobserver.com/opinion/158075

14.02.2024

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Europe’s growing abortion nightmare

Even in the absence of a ban, for women in need of abortion access, the overall picture is grim — and the worst is yet to come.

JULY 1, 2023
Reporting for this article was carried out by Akmaljon Akhmedjonov, Bernadeta Barokova, Yijing Chen, Pius Fozan, Timotheus Paul Goldinger, Kristina Kovalska, Leila Lawrence, Hanna Perenyi, Carina Samhaber, Stephanie Songer, Marziyeh Taeb, Tripti and Joseph Scioli, masters and PhD students at the Central European University in Vienna, under the editorship of Professor Marius Dragomir.

When she was 19 years old, Anna Peer had an abortion after her intrauterine device malfunctioned. “I didn’t realize at the time how lucky and privileged I was,” said Peer, now 24. “My gynecologist basically carried me through everything.”

But through her work for the Austrian Family Planning Association (ÖGF), an NGO that provides counseling related to reproductive health, Peer now sees “what the system’s actually like.”

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/europes-growing-abortion-nightmare/

01.07.2023

Commentary

Aleksander Stępkowski

Alternative for Germany

Anna Peer

Austrian Family Planning Association

Austrian Life Movement

Brad Hayes

Changes for Women

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Ciocia Wienia

Claire Provost

conscientious objectors

Contraceptive and Sexual Education Society

cost of abortion

criminalization of abortion

Dr. Cemil Yaman

Elke Graf

European Court of Human Rights

European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Freedom Party of Austria

pro:woman ambulatorium

French women push to cement abortion rights after US ruling

By BARBARA SURK and JADE LE DELEY
July 8, 2022

PARIS (AP) — The right to abortion in France hardly seems under threat — it’s been inscribed in law for 47 years and enjoys broad support across the political spectrum. But more and more French women are asking: Could what happened in the U.S. happen here one day?

The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strip women of the right to abortion has reverberated across Europe’s political landscape, forcing the issue back into public debate in France at a time of political upheaval.

Continued: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-government-and-politics-paris-fae308e307dc5c250534a593e0410354

EU’s call for abortion as fundamental rights – a political bluff?

By Giedre Peseckyte | EURACTIV.com
Jan 28, 2022

MEPs call for abortion to be included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights is supported by the French presidency, but according to an EU law expert, this is “not going to happen” – and having an anti-abortion Parliamentary president is not the only obstacle.

On Thursday (20 January), the Parliament
plenary discussed the proposal from Spanish MEP and the president of the socialist
group Iratxe García Pérez to extend the Charter of Fundamental Rights to
include the right to abortion.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/eus-call-for-abortion-as-fundamental-rights-a-political-bluff/

EUROPEAN UNION – Will access to safe, legal abortion finally become a right in the European Union?

JANUARY 28, 2022
International Campaign for Safe Abortion

A number of Members of the European Parliament have been pushing to include the right to safe, legal abortion in the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights. But that push did not start only on the day after French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to open this debate in the EU Council. In fact, the European Parliament had already addressed this question on 24 June 2021, calling on the European Union (meaning all its member states), to ensure the right to legal and safe abortion in a push to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health in response to Covid-19. A non-binding resolution was passed by 378 to 255 votes at that time. Now it’s back on the table. But would the vote be by each country, or by their MEPs?

Continued: https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/news/european-union-will-access-to-safe-legal-abortion-finally-become-a-right-in-the-european-union/

28.01.2022