Montenegro continues to struggle with sex-selective abortion, despite a ban on the procedure introduced in 2009. A deeply engraved social “son preference” causes a fall of births of girls, who are seen “less profitable” for the family. The disturbing demographic trend was discussed during Montenegrin parliamentary session, with Dragan Ivanovic, ruling coalition member, […]
In April 2021 Federation for Women and Family Planning started the Women’s Collective Complaint campaign. Its aim was to encourage Polish women to send applications to the European Court of Human Rights in connection with the decision of the so-called Constitutional Tribunal that banned abortion due to severe fetal defects. The European Court of Human Rights […]
Yesterday, on 24 June, European Parliament declared abortion a human right in a historical vote. Adopted document, informally called “the Matić report” (after the text’s author, Predrag Fred Matić, a Croatian Socialist MEP), calls on all member states to recognise reproductive and sexual rights as basic human rights. The text states that withholding access […]
Two new anti-abortion legislative proposals have been registered in the Slovak parliament for the upcoming parliamentary sessions, which is to take place on 15 June – 2 July. Reportedly, the bills are expected to be discussed in the first legislative reading at this session. Later on, a vote on whether they should be moved […]
Today, on May 11, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of opening the Istanbul Convention for signatures. Istanbul Convention was – and still is – an extraordinary achievement in the international arena of women’s rights advocacy. The golden standard for policies targeting gender-based and domestic violence saves the lives of women all across the […]
2020 turned out to be an extremely challenging year, mostly – but not only – due to the new reality of COVID-19 pandemic. The world had to reorganize in a great show of solidarity and support in these trying times. However, sudden transfer to digital reality allowed us to keep up with our […]
In January 2021, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of North Macedonia has presented the new concept of primary education reforms which recognizes the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) as an optional subject for students aged 13-14. HERA, as a member association of IPPF, has been working for more than 10 […]
Parents are opposing to sexuality education classes conducted in schools in Romania. As Daniela Draghici, Romanian activists and ASTRA Network’s Advisory Board member, tells us, they are mostly motivated by conservative forces and the Church. Specialised NGO’s are reportedly struggling to raise funding for social campaigns, the last of which was organised in […]
On 22 October 2020, the illegitimate Polish Constitutional Court ruled that access to abortion due to “high probability of severe and irreversible foetal disability or incurable disease threatening its life†is unconstitutional. Fierce protests have been held incessantly following the decision of the CT. On 27 January 2021, the text of the illegal […]
January 27 – Just before midnight, the abortion-banning “ruling†of Polish Constitutional Tribunal was published in Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland. As of this day, abortion is illegal in Poland, with exceptions of the pregnancy being a result of rape or incest, or a threat to the woman’s life or […]
January 27 – On Wednesday evening, Polish Constitutional Tribunal published a justification of the abortion-banning “ruling†issued on October 22, 2020. For the ban to come to life, the “ruling†still has to officially be published in Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland. Although this has not happened yet, governmental officials […]
In December 2020, Russian Orthodox Church revealed a change in the institution’s stance on abortion abortion. Vladimir Legoyda, main spokesperson for Russian Orthodox Church, commented on the topic of abortion in a TV interview in RTVI, a New York-based Russian-language channel aimed at expats. According to Legodya, the institution insists on changing the status […]
ASTRA Secretariat
Federation for Women and Family Planning
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