Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns over the current barriers to abortion access in Europe and has highlighted alarming attempts to roll back reproductive rights. In a recently released report, “When rights aren’t real for all: The struggle for abortion access in Europe,” the organization scrutinized abortion care across 40 countries, revealing a complex landscape where legal reforms are offset by various obstacles.
Despite legal progress in some areas, Amnesty’s report reveals a landscape fraught with administrative, social, and practical barriers. For instance, countries like Germany and Austria present prohibitive costs for abortion due to insufficient coverage by public health systems, as outlined by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health. This financial burden has significant implications for those seeking reproductive healthcare.
Moreover, conscientious objection by medical practitioners in nations such as Italy and Croatia has contributed to the creation of “access deserts,” significantly limiting the availability of abortion services. This phenomenon has been documented by the World Health Organization, emphasizing the impact on reproductive rights.
Monica Costa Riba, Amnesty International’s Senior Campaigner on Women’s Rights, remarked on the precarious state of reproductive rights, noting the threat posed by regressive policies promoted by the anti-gender movement. Her sentiments highlight the ongoing battle over bodily autonomy in Europe, where progress is often threatened by reactionary forces.
Europe’s fragmented legal landscape is further illustrated by the European Parliamentary Forum’s European Abortion Policy Atlas and the Center for Reproductive Rights’ World Abortion Laws Map. While some nations, like France, have moved to enshrine abortion rights constitutionally, others, such as Slovakia and Hungary, have introduced restrictions showcasing the influence of anti-reproductive rights groups.
These developments have prompted rights experts to call upon European governments to uphold their obligations under international human rights law, including provisions set out in the Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine. The ongoing influence of the anti-abortion movement is vividly demonstrated by recent legislative changes in Slovakia, viewable through the Slovak National Council’s portal.
Throughout Europe, reproductive freedom remains at a critical juncture. Despite affirmations by international human rights bodies that access to safe abortion is a human right, the liability of safeguarding this right predominantly falls on national governments. The efficacy of legislative attempts to restrict or protect abortion access continues to unfold across the continent.