On 12th September last, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on violence against women. The report, voted by an overwhelming majority of the Members of Parliament, classifies anti-abortion laws as violence against women and girls.
From today, the text “says that denying any service related to sexual and reproductive rights and health, including the possibility of safe and legal abortion, is a form of violence against women and girls. It insists on the fact that women and girls should have control over their own body and sexuality, and invites all Member States to guarantee a full sexual education, an easy access for women to family planning and to all reproductive and sexual health services, including modern contraception methods and safe and legal abortion.” [1].
This resolution, produced by a legislative body supposed to respect the sovereignty of countries in terms of abortion, was voted in the context of the European Union’s new membership in the Istanbul Convention “in view of a correct application”, the Treaty of the European Council aiming at preventing and fighting violence against women and girls.
The text of the Convention is against abortion being carried out “on a woman without her prior and informed consent”, this being the only mention of abortion in the Treaty.
[1] Paragraph 4 of the resolution of 12th September 2017.