Since 2016, the Polish Government tried to tighten the legislation on abortion, among the strictest in Europe. Since 2016, it found the opposition of masses of women and men mobilising in the streets across Poland under the slogan “Polish Women’ Strike”. After failing times and times again to pass the restrictions in the Parliament due to public outcry, the ruling party bypassed it and brought the issue directly to the Constitutional Court. Yesterday the Court ruled that abortions for fetal abnormalities violate the country’s Constitution. This is not only an issue of restriction of fundamental rights but also of further deterioration of the rule of law, in a country where the politicisation of courts has long been documented.
Despite the health crisis, this Friday a large rally is called by organisations that reject the blow of power. The call, entitled “This is war”, tells better than long speeches what is at stake for women, for society and for rights. Our solidarity with this fight for abortion rights in Poland is full and complete.
Nielegalny TK może sobie gdzieś wsadzić swoje "wyroki", bo… jest nielegalny. Już ok. 70% obyw. jest za wolnym wyborem, więc tyle mamy do powiedzenia w tym temacie, co na zdjęciu.
— #StrajkKobiet (@strajkkobiet) October 22, 2020
Nagraj 30 sek. film, #PowiedzCoMyślisz i wrzuć do sieci, niech wiedzą:) #ToJestWojna pic.twitter.com/x02IowrOTc
BACKGROUND: WHY POLISH WOMEN ARE TAKING TO STREETS SINCE 2016
Check out the interview with Marta Lempart, one of the public faces of this movement, published in our magazine Activizenship 4.