Defending the reproductive rights of Ukrainian women in Ukraine, Poland, across and beyond the European Union: a global feminist struggle – An international petition
This petition is an appeal for action. The initiative is supported by the European Network for Solidarity with Ukraine – you can add your support by activating this web link below and adding your signature :
Since February 24th, Ukrainian women are facing increasing levels of gender based violence as a consequence of the Russian invasion: (1) Russian troops are massively using rape against women and children as a war weapon. (2) Domestic violence against women and children has significantly increased. (3) Women displaced inside Ukraine and abroad, looking for safe shelter face an acute risk of gender-based and sexual violence. Rape and consequent forced pregnancies are present in all these forms of gender-based violence.
Irish supporters include Bríd Smith TD (People Before Profit, Dublin South Central); Brendan Ogle (UNITE Trade Union); Nóirín Greene (Trade Unionist).
Bríd, Brendan, and Nóirín explain why they support this initiative :
Bríd Smith TD :
There is a global attack on women’s access to abortion rights, often from the same right wing forces, and we need to stand in solidarity with those fighting for reproductive health care and abortion access everywhere such rights are under attack
Brendan Ogle, UNITE Trade Union (Senior Officer, Republic of Ireland) :
‘A woman’s right to bodily autonomy is a fundamental right. It is horrendous that Ukrainian women fleeing war are finding these rights removed, some of them having been raped by invading Russian soldiers, in their country of so called ‘refuge’
Nóirín Greene, Trade Unionist
I signed this petition because I have fought the good fight for 40 years for a Woman’s Right to Choose in Ireland. Now is the time to show solidarity, and support the fundamental rights of women internationally, which are being denied and coming under attack on a global scale from right-wing forces
Defending the reproductive rights of Ukrainian women in Ukraine, Poland, across and beyond the European Union: a global feminist struggle
Although abortion is legally provided on request up to the 12th week in Ukraine, the war context has limited access to healthcare, including reproductive health services. The problem is particularly serious in the occupied territories, because of the displacement of healthcare practitioners, lack of medicines, targeted attacks on health facilities, and so on. Access to safe reproductive health, including family planning, contraception, abortion and maternal and newborn health is highly compromised.
Many Ukrainian women and children fleeing the war seek refuge in neighbouring Poland where abortion is criminalised and access to contraception is ranked the worst in Europe. Since January 2021, Poland’s new law on abortion bans all pregnancy terminations except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother’s life is at risk. Theoretically, it is possible for a Ukrainian rape survivor to access abortion in Poland. However, the Polish law requires that rape be proved by a criminal investigation, in order to obtain a public prosecutor’s order to terminate a pregnancy. This is often impossible, and is an extremely time-consuming process which makes it hardly possible to terminate the pregnancy within the time limits.
In practice, Ukrainian displaced women and all women under Polish jurisdiction are being forced to choose between carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term in precarious circumstances or facing significant risks associated with clandestine abortions. Health staff, activists and friends helping women to terminate their pregnancies risk prosecution and prison. By the time Ukrainian displaced women finally manage to reach a country where abortion is legal, they are very likely to have exceeded the legal time limits, which is 12 weeks in most European countries.
Moreover, in some host countries, such as Slovakia, Ukrainian displaced women’s access to abortion is being questioned. In Hungary, all women must attend at least five medical consultations before accessing abortion procedures. And in Moldova, Ukrainian women cannot easily access the underfunded public health system and are mostly too poor to access private reproductive rights clinics.
Defending our reproductive rights, in Ukraine, in Poland and everywhere is a global feminist struggle in these times of conservative and neoliberal backlash taking place across the world.he right to abortion is being continuously attacked at different levels and from different fronts in several countries, while women in some other countries are still fighting to win that right. Attacks on women’s reproductive rights are part of a larger strategy of systematic destruction and control of women’s and workers’ rights by conservative and neoliberal forces. We call on all those who defend women’s rights around the world to fight with us for Ukrainian women’s right to safe abortion on demand in Ukraine, Poland and across and beyond the European Union. We demand:
- The immediate legalization of abortion in Poland.
- The right to safe abortion on demand everywhere.
- The development and reinforcement of public services permitting access to healthcare including reproductive health for all women in Ukraine, in all European countries and across the world.
Tomás Ó Flatharta 
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