Soraya Rodríguez leads fromSoraya Rodríguez leads from Renew Europe the second resolution of this legislature of the European Parliament to include the right to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental RightsRenew Europe the second resolution of this legislature of the European Parliament to include the right to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling for the right to legal and safe abortion to be included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This resolution, led from Renew Europe by Soraya Rodríguez MEP, marks a milestone towards the protection of women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Europe.
The resolution was adopted with 336 votes in favour, 163 against and 39 abstentions. Although it is non-binding, it has a strong symbolic and political value. It calls on the Council of the European Union to convene a Convention to revise the EU Treaties and enshrine the right to safe and legal abortion as a fundamental right. In particular, it calls for the amendment of Article 3 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights to include that “everyone has the right to physical autonomy and to free, informed, full and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as to all related health services, including access to safe and legal abortion without discrimination”. The resolution further advocates ensuring such access through a full range of health services, including contraception and sex education without discrimination. And calls on Member States to remove legal, financial, social and practical barriers limiting access to abortion
Soraya Rodríguez, who has been one of the main negotiators of this initiative, stressed the importance of this resolution: “The right to legal and safe abortion is a fundamental right. The European Union has a responsibility to protect it for all European women by introducing it into the Charter of Fundamental Rights. We must not forget that our rights are worth their guarantees and, unfortunately, in recent years this has become evident with the global setback on women’s rights and, in particular, in sexual and reproductive health and rights,” She said.
This is the second resolution of its kind adopted in less than two years, reflecting an ongoing effort by the European Parliament to strengthen women’s rights in the face of increasing restrictions in some Member States. Countries such as Poland and Malta, where abortion is severely restricted, have been specifically urged to repeal these bans. MEPs also expressed concern about increased funding for anti-abortion groups and called on the European Commission to ensure that these funds do not come from European public resources. They also called for an increase in the budget for programs and grants that defend the right to safe and legal abortion.
