24 September marked the release of the newest European Abortion Policy Atlas – a comprehensive report tracking abortion regulations across Europe. The publication comes from the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), in collaboration with an expert team including ASTRA Network and FEDERA as partners.
Learn more about the Atlas here: abortion.srhrpolicyhub.org/about/
The Atlas ranks European countries based on four key criteria:
- The legal framework governing abortion
- Accessibility of abortion services
- Quality of abortion care
- Availability of accurate information and countering disinformation
Malta is once again ranked at the very bottom of the European list, with Poland following just above it. Poland scored dramatically low across all categories, and the lack of any progress or legal reform in 2024 was also held against it.
However, there is also progress to acknowledge. Since the last edition of the Atlas (2021), several countries have taken bold steps forward:
- Norway and Denmark extended access to abortion on request from 12 to 18 weeks.
- France made history by enshrining abortion rights in its constitution.
These developments are encouraging, but they also highlight the growing gap between Eastern and Western Europe when it comes to protecting human rights.
To emphasize the findings, we have pinned the Atlas to our office wall—Poland stands out as a brown stain in the middle of Europe. It is a stark image that fuels our determination for change.
At ASTRA Network, we believe that legal, safe, and accessible abortion is a human right, and we will not stop until every person who needs one can access it freely and with dignity.
