Going abroad to get an abortion, a struggle for thousands of women in Europe

“Exporting Abortion”, a transnational investigation, reveals that more than 5,000 women in Europe have to travel abroad each year to access abortion services due to obstacles they face in exercising this right in their home country.

20 May 2025
Francesca Barca, Translated by Ciarán Lawless

On 24 April of this year the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) My Voice, My Choice came to a close. The initiative attracted around 1.2 million signatures: a remarkable success for an ECI – a mechanism that calls the European Commission to propose a legal act in an area where the member countries delegated powers to the EU, provided it collects enough signatures. The campaign demanded a financing mechanism to guarantee safe abortion care for all those without access to such services.

Current laws and practices, it seems, are far removed from what civil society knows to be the reality.

Continued: https://voxeurop.eu/en/abortion-abroad-struggle-women-europe/

Pro-choice protesters halt Prague pro-life march as Europe’s abortion fight heats up

This weekend in Prague saw the March for Life blocked from reaching its destination in Wenceslas Square by women's rights advocates.

Elizabeth Zahradnicek-Haas
28.04.2025

Tensions over abortion rights flared in Prague this weekend as pro-choice activists blocked the annual March for Life, preventing the pro-life demonstration from reaching its planned destination at Wenceslas Square.

Several hundred people from both camps gathered Saturday, with police arresting about 30 pro-choice demonstrators who sat across Kaprova Street in a nonviolent blockade. No major clashes were reported.

Continued: https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/pro-choice-protesters-block-prague-march-for-life-as-european-abortion-rights-debate-intensifies

28.04.2025

pro-choice counter protest

European Citizens’ Initiative on abortion rights hits 1.2 million signatures

Saturday 19 April 2025
Brussels Times

The pro-choice movement for safe and accessible abortion in the EU reached about 1.2 million verified signatures last week surpassing the threshold required for European Citizens’ Initiatives to induce the European Commission to consider new legislative proposals.

To be successful, a European citizens' initiative (ECI), EU’s main instrument for participative democracy, has to reach one million statements of support as well as minimum thresholds in at least seven countries. The initiative My Voice My Choice exceeded the threshold less than a year after the collection of signatures started. The collection period ends on 24 April.

Continued: https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/1542870/european-citizens-initiative-on-abortion-rights-hits-1-2-million-signatures

19.04.2025

European Citizens' Initiative on abortion

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

Abortion rights activists rally voters for EU election

Civil society groups are encouraging voters to stop a far-right surge.

MAY 24, 2024
BY CLAUDIA CHIAPPA

Activists behind a campaign calling for EU-wide abortion rights are urging people to vote against a far-right surge in the European Parliament.

Campaigners will gather Friday evening in Hénin-Beaumont, South of Lille in France, where National Rally leader Jordan Bardella and former leader Marine Le Pen are set to host a party meeting.

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/abortion-rights-activists-rally-voters-for-eu-election/

24.05.2024

News

Alice Coffin

European Citizens’ Initiative

Activists press for EU-wide abortion right

A petition calling for an EU fund to help women access abortion care in countries with more liberal laws gained 100,000 signatures in its first week.

MAY 2, 2024
BY CLAUDIA CHIAPPA

Civil society groups are pushing for all women in Europe to have access to abortion, regardless of where they live, in a petition that could be considered by the EU executive if it wins enough support.

Organizations from eight EU countries have put forward a European Citizens’ Initiative, “My Voice, My Choice,” asking the European Commission to establish a fund to cover costs for women who can’t access abortion in their own member country and who choose to travel to another with more liberal abortion laws.

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/activists-press-eu-wide-abortion-right-petition/

Women’s rights activists launch effort to expand abortion rights to EU level

European NGOs said they would launch a new initiative aimed at advancing reproductive rights.

By Lauren Chadwick
March 5, 2024

Women's rights activists across Europe are joining forces to push for a dedicated funding mechanism in the European Union to make sure that women in the bloc have access to abortion.

The movement called "My Voice, My Choice" was launched in Slovenia on Tuesday and brought together activists from several European countries including Spain, Finland, Poland, France, Croatia, and Ireland.

"We are organising at the European level to push the abortion issue forward," Marta Lempart, one of the leaders of the Polish Women's Strike, told Euronews Health ahead of the announcement.

Continued: https://www.euronews.com/health/2024/03/05/womens-rights-activists-launch-effort-to-expand-abortion-rights-to-eu-level

05.03.2024