The European Parliament Committee supports the initiative for safe abortion in the EU
The European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) has backed the European Citizens’ Initiative My Voice, My Choice, which advocates for safe and accessible abortion for all women across the EU.
In its resolution proposal, the committee urged the European Commission to create a voluntary mechanism to help member states guarantee access to safe abortion procedures.
Reactions from Parliament and NGOs
Abir Al-Sahlani, a liberal MEP from Sweden and rapporteur of the resolution proposal, called the vote a major success for those who supported the initiative led by the Slovenian NGO Institute 8th of March.
“It proves that our union can stand for both women’s freedom of choice and respect for national legislation. This initiative shows what is possible when citizens and institutions join forces in the pursuit of equality and democracy,” said Al-Sahlani.
Institute 8th of March celebrated the vote as an important milestone. The organization’s director and coordinator of the initiative, Nika Kovač, emphasized that the result once again demonstrates how deeply reproductive rights unite people across the continent.
Author’s Summary
The FEMM Committee’s endorsement of the EU-wide abortion rights initiative highlights growing support in Europe for recognizing reproductive freedom as a shared value.