As today’s hearing in the trial of human rights defender Justyna Wydrzyńska is postponed until October 14, we ask Poland’s Justice Ministry to immediately drop the charges against Justyna and stop oppressing woman rights defenders (WRDs). Justyna is charged with supporting Ania, a woman in an abusive relationship, to access abortion pills. A survivor herself of a similar situation to Ania, she took compassionate action to help the woman. Justyna’s efforts were reported to the police by the controlling husband. Ania was denied abortion care, but the stress caused her to miscarry. Now, Justyna, a member of Abortion Without Borders and the Abortion Dream Team, is facing up to three years in prison for facilitating an abortion that didn’t happen. Her case marks the first in Europe in which a WRD is being prosecuted for helping ensure abortion care by providing abortion pills.

We wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the French government to support the reproductive safety and freedom of Ukrainian refugees in Poland by financing Abortion Without Borders via IPPF EN. Abortion Without Borders is a civil society initiative working in countries with restrictive laws to help people access abortion care at home with pills or abroad in clinics. The French financial support will specifically be used for the management of help lines and to assist Ukrainian women in Poland travel abroad to receive the care they so desperately need. Concretely, it is expected that the 60.000 euros will help at least 150 women to received safe and legal abortion care outside Poland. Currently, Poland has one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws. In practice, it is almost impossible for those eligible for a legal abortion to obtain one. The barriers that have long faced Polish women now also affect Ukrainian refugees. We know that access to emergency contraception and safe abortion care is even more important following the increased threat and terrifying reported incidence of abuse, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and trafficking facing refugees and displaced people. Timing is also of the essence when treating victims of sexual violence and delays can prove dangerous for their physical and mental health. Civil society organizations and ordinary citizens are the ones providing this care to refugees, but this is not properly reflected in many funding schemes. This heroic effort is not sustainable. Without support, these solidarity networks will collapse, with devastating consequences for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

We are disappointed by the vote today in the Polish Parliament who rejected a civic initiative bill that would legalise abortion. 265 Members of Parliament voted against the safety, dignity and freedom of Polish women. 66% of Polish people want liberalization of abortion care which means that a small ultra-conservative group is deciding against the will of Polish citizens. Women’s rights organizations and parliament members of the opposition Lewica party collected over 200k signatures for a civic initiative bill, “Legal Abortion Without Compromise,” which would permit abortion without restriction as to reason up to the twelfth week of pregnancy. It would permit abortion after 12 weeks in cases of risk to the person’s mental or physical health, a non-viable pregnancy, or pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. This bill would have protected women and their families and could have avoided cases like Agnieszka's - who died in agony leaving her three children behind when doctors denied her abortion care when she was suffering from an obstetric emergency. Currently, Poland has one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws. Together with Malta, it is one of only two European Union Member States that has not legalized abortion on request or broad social grounds. In Poland, abortion is only permitted in situations of risk to the life or health of a pregnant woman, or if a pregnancy results from rape. In practice, however, it is almost impossible for those eligible for a legal abortion to obtain one. Every year thousands of women leave Poland to access abortion care in other European countries, while others import medical abortion pills or seek extra-legal abortion in Poland. Polish women, particularly those in difficult socio-economic situations, have to depend on the crucial help from civil society organizations, with often limited resources. We remain committed to the fight The vote today in the Polish Sejm comes after at the end of 2021 the ‘Stop Abortion’ bill was defeated in the same chamber. This terrifying bill would have imposed prison terms for women and anyone who helps them access abortion, including family members, friends and doctors. This back and forth between progress and regression is reminiscent of the fight for abortion care in Argentina, San Marino and Ireland. There were many votes lost but in the end, women won their right to bodily autonomy. In spite of harassment, legal attacks and intimidation campaigns, Polish women rights defenders stood yesterday in the Parliament, bravely defending the rights of many. They will continue to stand up to forces that want to police women’s bodies even if at risk of imprisonment. Justyna is currently facing jail time for allegedly helping a survivor of domestic violence get abortion pills. Recalling the yesterday’s debate in Parliament, Marta Lempart from the Polish Women's Strike said: “We saw all the hysteria yesterday, the walking out, the tantrums, the shouting, when they saw me speak in the Chamber. The displeasure that they had to listen to what I as a citizen had to say to them. On the other hand, they did everything to have to listen to me once again. Clearly, they have invited me to the Sejm again. Again, they want to meet me, again they want us to see each other there. I am ready."

The U.S Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade in the biggest blow to women's health and rights in recent U.S history, removing 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion across America, meaning individual states will now decide the legality of abortion within their jurisdiction. Twenty-six states, including Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia, are now poised to enact "trigger laws" that will severely limit or ban abortion, putting approximately 40 million women and girls of reproductive age at risk of losing abortion access, with lower-income people and people of color most severely affected.  The patchwork of state abortion bans means those without funds to travel for safe and legal abortion services or access medical abortion pills will be forced underground to unsafe and unregulated methods, with no guarantee of quality of care or aftercare if things go wrong. The devastating rollback of reproductive rights resulted from the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case, a 2018 ruling that banned abortion in Mississippi after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Of the nine federal Supreme Court Justices, 6 voted to uphold the Mississippi law, effectively overturning Roe v. Wade and 3 dissented. Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said:    

On International Women’s Day, the European Commission proposed the first ever EU law to combat violence against women and domestic violence. IPPF EN thanks the Commission for this historic and ambitious initiative. We very much welcome this draft Directive, which proposes a wide range of crucial measures to combat violence at all stages, from prevention to prosecution. The Directive will help protect women and girls in the EU from forms of violence that affect them disproportionately. The EU must ensure that the Directive protects women and girls in all their diversity. IPPF EN stands for the protection of all people from all forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and calls upon the EU to ensure the safety of everyone.   Sexuality education recognised as key to prevention IPPF EN is particularly pleased that the Commission has recognised the need to strengthen sexuality education, as an essential tool to prevent violence. Harmful gender stereotypes, which are at the root of gender-based violence, must be combatted from an early age. The Directive affirms the importance of education programmes in schools and in early-childhood education and care, to combat these stereotypes, and to strengthen the socio-emotional skills that young people need to be able to develop healthy and respectful relationships.   Criminalisation of rape as lack of consent, FGM and online violence  IPPF EN also very much welcomes the criminalization of rape based on the absence of consent. Shockingly, 18 EU Member States still require force or threats to have been used in order for rape to be punishable. All Member States must urgently review their legislation, to bring it in line with this consent-based definition, as already adopted in the 2008 Istanbul Convention. The criminalisation of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Directive is also critical. FGM causes women and girls great harm and suffering, in violation of their sexual and reproductive rights. Finally, in this digital world, the Directive also crucially criminalises online stalking, harassment, incitement to hatred, and revenge porn. Member States must step up their efforts to ensure the internet is a safe space for women and girls. Women who are active in public life, especially those who defend women’s rights, are amongst those most systematically targeted, with the intent of silencing them, threatening their well-being and even physical safety, as is the case in Poland for instance.    But all forms of GBV should be eliminated, including violations of SRHR IPPF EN calls on the European Commission to work towards eliminating all forms of SGBV. The Directive refers to a number of specific forms of violence that violate women’s sexual and reproductive rights, including forced abortion and forced sterilization, in addition to sexual violence and FGM, which we welcome. Broader violations of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), such as gynaecological and obstetric violence, forced pregnancy, and the denial of abortion care – which has caused the deaths of at least three women in Poland, should also be recognized as violence and combatted.   Victims should have access to comprehensive support services, including SRH care The Directive proposes several measures to ensure victims’ access to support services. We regret however that the Directive fails to grant sufficient importance to access to healthcare services for victims/survivors. Access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care specifically is not mentioned as an essential type of healthcare that victims/survivors of sexual violence must have access to.   All victims should be protected and supported IPPF EN aims to protect everyone from SGBV, including people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics. We encourage the EU to adopt an inclusive and intersectional approach to truly protect the safety of all Europeans. The definition of rape in particular should protect all victims, regardless of their sex or gender, in line with the internationally agreed language in the Istanbul Convention. IPPF EN welcomes the recognition that some groups of women are particularly at risk, or have specific needs that must be addressed, including women sex workers, and women fleeing armed conflict. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced high numbers of women to flee their homes. In their response to the crisis, the EU and its Member States must urgently protect them from SGBV, particularly rape and human trafficking, which always proliferate in crisis situations, and address their SRHR needs, both in and out of the EU.   What's next IPPF EN will now work with the European Parliament and Member States during upcoming negotiations, to advocate for the swift adoption of the strongest text possible. In parallel, we call on the Council to achieve the EU accession to the Istanbul Convention by qualified majority, following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU, thereby overcoming the current political stalemate preventing this vital instrument from protecting women and girls in the EU. All EU Member States must also urgently ratify and implement the Istanbul Convention. 

Over the past few days, the world has watched in horror and disbelief at the events unfolding in Ukraine. It is estimated that over 500,000 people have now fled – many of whom are women and children – into neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania. The UN anticipates 4 million refugees by July 2022. During Humanitarian crises, sexual and reproductive healthcare is often overlooked. But the reality is daily sexual and reproductive healthcare needs such as essential care for pregnant people, access to menstruation products for people who menstruate, as well as ensuring people who need sexual and reproductive health assistance have access to the right information, remains an urgent priority. IPPF is working with partners on the ground in Poland to link those fleeing the conflict with critical sexual and reproductive health services as well as provide them with essential items.  Julie Taft,  Director of Humanitarian for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said: