More than 100,000 Europeans have already signed a petition demanding a European right to abortion. Around a hundred associations launched this initiative to alert the leaders of the European Union while the right of women to control their bodies is prohibited or threatened in several EU countries: in Italy, Malta and Croatia. . The objective of this petition is to influence the campaign for the European elections at the beginning of June.
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Now is the right time to talk about it, Nika Kovac is convinced of it. This Slovenian directs the March 8 Institute, an association for women’s rights in her country. And it is she who coordinates this petition My voice, My choice“my voice, my choice”.
“ We really think we are creating a movement, she explains. We must believe in what we are doing to make change. But we know that the road ahead will be difficult and chaotic.. »
This movement for safe and accessible abortion in Europe is led by @8Marec, @strajkkobiet, @wschod_, @Naisunioni, @NWCI , @freesafelegal , @alicecoffin @_movement, @CristinaFallas, @KikaFumero, @Sarah__Durieux, @martalempart and many more.🫰
— My Voice My Choice (@MVMC_24) March 10, 2024
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Strong resistance
Health policy falls within the national competences of countries, Brussels therefore has no say. The idea here is rather to encourage Europe to help women to have abortions where it is possible in the Union. “ For example, continues Nika Kovac, a woman from Poland could go, I don’t know, to Slovenia, to the Netherlands to have a free abortion there. And the operation would be paid for by the European Union. We are in fact trying to create a European solidarity movement. »
Resistance is strong in the EU and the right to abortion is not at the top of the campaign issues. The Slovenian Prime Minister signed the petition but we still need to find nearly 900,000 votes to reach one million signatures: the fateful threshold to force the European Commission to take up the issue.
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