Women's eNews (https://womensenews.org/series/backlash-in-europe-womens-reproductive-rights-threatened/)
While much of the media coverage of the “war on women” focuses on the United States, the anti-choice movement is also increasing across the European Union.
Credit: GUE/NGL on Flickr, under Creative Commons
Action against new Spanish abortion legislation
In December 2013 Spain’s conservative government followed up on a campaign promise and announced plans to tighten the country’s liberal abortion law. At the same time, neighboring France was trying to liberalizing its abortion and gender-related policies. While the Spanish abortion bill was eventually scrapped due to national and international backlash, the move was a wake-up call for how quickly women’s rights can disappear. It also triggered fears of possible ripple effect across the continent.
Juhie Bhatia, Women’s eNews’ managing editor, and Hajer Naili, our staff reporter, wanted to know what was going on. So in November 2014 they headed to Spain and France with some questions. They spent a month in the two countries talking to health care and abortion providers, women seeking reproductive health care, protesters and other women’s rights activists and politicians to answer those questions and more. The result is this special multimedia series, which will soon be available in French and Spanish, with six stories that provide a window into the reproductive rights challenges in Europe.
Join the conversation on reproductive health issues in Spain and France on Twitter using the hashtag #EUReproRights.
The ruling party is pushing ahead with a restriction on minors and the current abortion law—safeguarded in September–could be weakened by a decision of the country’s Constitutional Court. But for now, pro-choice activists are breathing a sigh of relief.
Abortion can be a hassle in some parts of France, despite the country’s liberalizing trend. A 12-week limit, mandatory one-week waiting period and the lag in scheduling appointments all add strain. Story reported with Juhie Bhatia.
Spain’s failure to pass a major abortion restriction in September is far from a death knell. Anti-abortion activists in Europe have more funding, rising partisan influence and plenty of tactical lessons to borrow from the U.S. Story reported with Juhie Bhatia.
In a country where the pill has long dominated, women are now turning to other options, including less reliable “natural” methods. At the same time, abortion rates may have gone up last year, partly due to the pill controversy. Story reported with Hajer Naili.
Last month, a French delegation went to Geneva with the European Women’s Lobby to push an abortion-related resolution at the upcoming Beijing+20 Summit. With this and other efforts France is developing a profile as a European leader on abortion rights.
Our multimedia series, “Backlash in Europe: Women’s Reproductive Rights Threatened,” will begin this coming week. Join the conversation on reproductive health issues in Spain and France on Twitter #EUReproRights.