Prague, 8th April, 2016 Beata Szdylo Prime Minister of the Republic

Czech Women´s Lobby
Ostrovského 253/3
150 00 Praha 5
[email protected]
+420 725 820 266
www.czlobby.cz
Prague, 8th April, 2016
Beata Szdylo
Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
Your Excellency, Mrs Prime Minister,
we are deeply concerned about the proposal to adopt a complete ban on abortions in Poland. Adoption of
such a law would mean that also women who were victims of rape, women for whom pregnancy means a
serious threat to their life and health and young girls would have no access to a safe abortion. Adoption of
such a law would mean a significant health threat for Polish women. In some cases even threat to their lives.
Similarly strict law exists for example in El Salvador where it has already caused deaths of many women.
Protection of unborn children is important. But legal regulation of abortions cannot endanger lives of women
and their personal integrity. An abortion should not be used as a tool for family planning – that is why it is
important to inform people about family planning options and provide them with accessible and safe
contraception. Experience from abroad proves that providing women and men with accessible contraception
significantly decreases the number of abortions. We consider the right to safe and legal abortion as one of
the basic human rights. Such attitude is common in almost all European countries. Protection of women’s
rights, including deciding about their bodies, is one of the pillars of European democracies, Poland being one
of them.
On behalf of the Czech Women’s Lobby, a network of twenty eight organisations enhancing women’s rights
in the Czech Republic, we urge you to refuse the law. We sincerely believe that you as a Prime Minister care
about health and safety of Polish women and you will not allow them to be threatened.
Yours sincerely,
Jana Chržová
Chair of Czech Women’s Lobby
Our members: Aliance žen s rakovinou prsu / APERIO – Společnost pro zdravé rodičovství / Asociace podnikatelek a manažerek ČR / Business and
Professional Women ČR / cats2cats / Česká asociace dul / Český helsinský výbor / Česká konfederace porodních asistentek / Český svaz žen /
Evropská kontaktní skupina / Fórum 50 % / Gender Studies / Genderová studia FSS MU / Genderové informační centrum Nora / Hnutí za aktivní
mateřství / Manushe / Moravská unie žen / Národní kontaktní centrum - ženy a věda (SOÚ AV ČR) / NESEHNUTÍ Brno / Oddělení Gender &
sociologie (SOÚ AV ČR) / Otevřená společnost / Pomoc v nouzi, o.p.s. / Porodní dům U čápa / proFem / Rodinné centrum Pexeso / ROSA – centrum
pro týrané a osamělé ženy / Unie porodních asistentek / Ženský web