One million signatures needed to improve access to abortion in the EU

Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2024

The National Women’s Council is partnering on a historic European Initiative to gather 1 million signatures in support of improving abortion access across the EU.

Orla O’Connor, NWC director said:

“Across Europe, more than 20 million women do not have access to abortion. Here in Ireland, in spite of the success of Repeal, hundreds of women are still forced to travel abroad for care. The mandatory 3 day wait, 12-week limit, and ongoing criminalisation of medics all feed into this situation. That’s why we’re joining with sister organisations in Slovenia, France, Spain, Finland, Poland, Austria and Croatia to demand reproductive justice across the continent.”

The "My Voice, My Choice" European Citizens' Initiative campaign offers people across Europe the opportunity to support women and pregnant people who are still being denied access to abortion. Our call is for the European Commission to establish a mechanism which would ensure every woman in Europe has access to safe, timely and legal abortion care.

Doireann Crosson, Women’s Health Coordinator at NWC said:

“Where women are denied access to abortion, this not only risks physical health, but also puts them under undue economic and mental stress, especially those on low incomes who cannot afford to travel. As we’ve seen so painfully illustrated in the US, we can never take our reproductive rights for granted. This is a vital opportunity for groups and individuals across Europe to join together in solidarity and demand true, equitable access to abortion and autonomy over our reproductive lives.”

The limited access to abortion in some EU countries only serves to threaten the lives and livelihoods of women who are forced to travel. We know this threat is not experienced equally, with many women and pregnant people from marginalised groups being most affected. This campaign is a unique opportunity to mobilise support for reproductive rights ahead of the EU elections, and to harmonise abortion access within Europe.

NWC believes this campaign will resonate with the Irish public who understand the pain and stigma of being denied reproductive rights and essential health care in our own country. Supporters of the campaign can visit https://sign.myvoice-mychoice.org/forms/sign-the-my-voice-my-choice-eci-ireland to sign the petition.

 

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For comment: Doireann Crosson

For more information, please contact Sinéad Nolan, NWC Communications and Social Media Coordinator on sineadn@nwci.ie

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About NWC

The National Women’s Council is the leading national representative organisation for women and women’s groups in Ireland, founded in 1973. We have over 190 member groups and a large and growing community of individual supporters.

The ambition of the National Women’s Council is an Ireland where every woman enjoys true equality and no woman is left behind. This ambition shapes and informs our work, and, with our living values, how we work.

We are a movement-building organisation rooted in our membership, working on the whole island of Ireland. We are also part of the international movement to protect and advance women’s and girls’ rights. Our purpose is to lead action for the achievement of women’s and girls’ equality through mobilising, influencing, and building solidarity. Find out more on www.nwci.ie