HEARING OM ABORT!

Arton EU-parlamentariker är värdar för en aborthearing i Bryssel den 18 oktober. De svenska värdarna är Lena Ek (c), Anna Hedh (s) och Eva-Britt Svensson (v). ABORT SKA VARA EN RÄTTIGHET FÖR ALLA KVINNOR I EU! Tiotusentals europeiska kvinnor är varje år hänvisade till osäkra abortmetoder, och följden är att många blir svårt sjuka och vissa till och med dör. Vid hearingen i Bryssel den 18 oktober vittnar kvinnor från Portugal och Polen om vad de gått igenom när de försökt få en säker abort. Ytterligare talare från Polen, Slovakien, Litauen, Spanien och Malta rapporterar om abortsituationen i respektive land. Varför är abort och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter inte på agendan för ett jämställt EU? Är frågan om kvinnors rätt att bestämma över sin kropp för het för att man ska våga ta i den? Se bifogat program nedan. DATUM: 18 oktober PLATS: Eastman 300. 135, Rue Wiertz, Bryssel. Mittemot Europaparlamentet. TID: 09.30-13.00. Presslegitimation erfordras! OBS! PGA HÄNSYN TILL DE KVINNOR SOM VITTNAR ÄR FOTOGRAFERING EJ TILLÅTEN UNDER HEARINGEN. Vid frågor kontakta RFSU:s pressekreterare Johanna Nyström på tel 0705 52 00 81 Nedan de EU-parlamentariker som är värdar för hearingen: Austria: Karin Resetarits (ALDE/ADL), Belgium: Anne van Lancker (PSE), France: Claire Gibault( ALDE/ADLE), Alain Lipietz, (Verts/ALE), Jean-Luc Bennahmias (Verts/ALE) Germany: Lissy Groener (PSE), Hungary: Katalin Lévai (PSE), Lithuania: Rolandas Pavilionis (UEN), Netherlands: Sophia in 't Veld (ALDE/ADLE), Poland: Józef Pinoir, (PSE), Portgual: Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL),Ana Maria Gomes (PSE), Jamila Madeira (PSE), Spain: María Elena Valenciano Martinez-Orozco (PSE) Sweden: Anna Hedh, (PSE), Lena Ek (ALDE/ADLE) Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE(NGL), United Kingdom: Baroness Sarah Ludford (ALDE/ADLE). Abortion – making it a right for all women in the European Union Why should women’s reproductive health be excluded from the equality and non- discrimination agenda of the European Union? October 18, 9h00 – 12h15 Room Eastman 300 Address 135, Rue Wiertz, Brussels 9.00 Arrival and registration / Coffee and Tea 9.30 Opening Anna Hedh, Lena Ek, Anne Van Lancker 9:40: Anna Hedh & Lena Ek Why abortion is an important issue for the EU - how restrictive laws are affecting women in the Member States. 10.00 Witness from Poland 10.15 Polish Parliamentarian MEP (TBC) Opinion polls show that the majority of the Polish people want to change the restrictive law. How long shall they wait? Is it a matter for Poland or for the whole of the EU? Lack of access to legal and safe abortion is taking a heavy toll on women’s health and lives. 10. 25 Witness from Poland 10. 30 Lithuania: Where is the public support? The new Member States - Esmeralda Kuliesyte, In Lithuania legal provisions are insufficient because they are not accompanied by the political will. Teenagers have a hard time accessing abortion, sexuality education and youth friendly reproductive health facilities are painted in black. How the media is using moralistic attitudes to silence the debate and demonize those working for a change. 10. 50 Expert from Malta Examples from Malta 11.00 Witness from Portugal 11.05 Witness from Portugal 11.10 Witness from Portugal 11. 15 Spain took the fight The Catholic Church and the EU / Spanish and/or Portuguese MEP (TBC) Why is Spain successful in fighting the conservative powers when it comes to homosexuality and abortion? Why is it so much harder in Portugal? How to deal with the Catholic Church and reproductive rights. 11.25 Slovakia: Turning women away – Olga Pietruchova Living in a conservative climate when it comes to women’s rights - and the impact it has. Medical abortion is not available and access to abortion is becoming limited. Women seeking abortion are being turned away from hospitals. 11. 35 Closure: Towards an EU with no discrimination – Anne van Lancker (TBC) The right to access to safe reproductive health services. Ann van Lancker. Why the laws on abortion need to change, why it is a mandate for the EU to address these issues. 11.40 Debate/ Questions: Lena Ek, Anna Hedh, Anne van Lancker, Wanda Nowicka. What should the EU do? Is it up to each member state? How should we unite together? Do we need to push our governments more? What could EU citizens do for one another and civil society? 13.00 End