Tens of thousands of protesters successfully forced their government to backtrack on abortion proposals last year, which prevented even further restrictions to the country’s already restrictive abortion laws.
Plans for a near-total ban on abortions were overwhelmingly rejected by parliament, marking a setback for the conservative Law and Justice party (PIS) and the Catholic church. But PiS leaders, under pressure from anti-abortion activists, said they are hoping to push forward proposals to remove the right for a termination in cases where the foetus has a congenital disorder.
Poland already has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe, with terminations legally permitted only when the life of the foetus is under threat, when there is a grave threat to the health of the mother, and in the instance that the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.
Women who have spoken to the Guardian say they are concerned that those with hardline conservative religious views will persist in lobbying the government until the restrictions are pushed through. And women’s rights campaigners vow to continue to march against the government’s hardline policies.
Six months on, since the country-wide protests, we’d like you to share your experiences and thoughts on women’s reproductive rights in the country. You can share your thoughts – anonymously if you prefer – using the encrypted form below. We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting.
We will do our best to make sure your contact details are secure.
.png?w=600)
