Hungary’s recent adoption of a ministerial decree, requiring pregnant women to listen to an ultrasound - before being able to access abortion care, places a new barrier to access to abortion care. Regrettably, some European countries have moved in the opposite direction, taking steps which roll back progress achieved in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Many barriers in law and in practice remain and impede the full enjoyment of their rights. In other states, such as Spain, reforms aiming at, inter alia, improving access to abortion care are under way.ĭespite these important steps, the journey towards guaranteeing women and girls’ full and adequate access to safe and legal abortion care is still long. France has, among other measures, eliminated the two-day mandatory waiting period and extended the time-limit for abortion on request to 14 weeks.
The Netherlands has adopted a law removing the five-day mandatory waiting period before accessing abortion. For example, Germany has repealed the ban on medical professionals’ provision of evidence-based information on abortion in the public domain. Other member states have also continued to enact legislation aimed at further removing procedural and regulatory barriers to accessing abortion care. San Marino recently legalised abortion care, joining the vast majority of member states that allow abortion on request. “Most countries in Europe are progressively removing barriers which impede women and girls’ effective access to abortion care. Any roll back of protections in this field is at variance with member states’ obligation to fully guarantee this human right”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović on International Safe Abortion Day.
“I call on Council of Europe member states to continue the progress achieved so far in ensuring women and girls’ access to safe and legal abortion care.
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