Poland: MPs ‘freeze’ regressive bills on abortion and sex education following protests

‘The voices of the thousands who took part in creative protests this week may have been muffled by face masks, but their message was nonetheless heard loud and clear’ -Draginja Nadazdin

MPs in Poland have decided not to pass a bill seeking to further restrict abortion in the country. The controversial bill was debated alongside a bill which also sought to  ban sexuality education. Both bills have been forwarded onto subcommittees for further debate, in effect, freezing them for the foreseeable future.

Draginja Nadazdin, Amnesty International’s Poland Director, said:

“While it is shameful that parliamentarians did not reject these two retrogressive proposals unequivocally, today’s vote is a testament to the power of protest, even and especially, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The voices of the thousands who took part in creative protests this week may have been muffled by face masks, but their message was nonetheless heard loud and clear.

“In a country where sexual and reproductive rights are already extremely limited, education about sexuality is crucial to help young people make decisions about things such as consent, contraception and prevention of sexuality transmitted infections. 

“We will continue to watch the authorities’ every move to ensure that these regressive bills do not proceed any further when they inevitably resurface.”