A lot happened in 2023 – from the daily fight for every person who sought support from us, to the victory of FEDERA’s lawyers in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. And all this in the shadow of elections and changes on the political scene that affect the lives of women in Poland, and therefore also our work.
Last year, abortion was one of the main topics discussed in public space. In June, the whole country was reeling with the shocking news of the death of Dorota from Bochnia, who died due to the Polish anti-abortion law and the actions of the medical staff of the hospital in Nowy Targ. Shortly afterwards, the stories of Joanna from Krakow and Ola from Warsaw, who survived their encounter with the system but were treated like criminals, were also publicized. Joanna was tried to be strip searched and was ordered to undress while bleeding after the abortion. Ola was interrogated when she was in hospital after a spontaneous miscarriage. At the same time, the prosecutor’s office was searching the septic tank of her home in search of the fetus. Joanna and Ola survived, but the trauma that the state inflicted on them is with them to this day. Both are under the care of FEDERA, and our lawyers support them at every step of the court proceedings.
In 2023, we also fought to improve the quality of prenatal care and the availability of contraception. We educated during workshops, webinars, conferences, meetings, and music festivals all over Poland. We acted on the national and international arenas, calling for a change in the Polish anti-abortion law and presenting further cases of human rights violations in our country. The news of FEDERA’s great victory reached us in December, when the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment in the case conducted in Strasbourg by our lawyers. The 2020 judgment of the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland, which banned abortion on the grounds of fetal defects, was finally officially recognized as unlawful and therefore non-binding.
Last September, the election season began and will last until June 2024. During the October parliamentary elections campaign, we did our best ensure that demands regarding reproductive rights are highlighted in the election committees’ programs. The stakes were high — for the first time in years there was a chance to topple the right-wing government and restore the dignity of people living in Poland. Years of pent-up rage could finally be released. Thanks to numerous pro-turnout campaigns targeted at women, including the campaign organized by FEDERA and the Grand Coalition for Equality and Choice, women made the long-awaited political change happen. There was a breakthrough that gave us hope for more progress. However, this does not mean that we can rest. Electoral promises are not enough, today we need actual, measurable results. That is why we are entering 2024 with new plans and projects. We are going to keep an eye on the new authorities and demand solutions that will really improve the situation of women in the country. As always, we are here for every person who contacts the FEDERA Foundation. We will support access to abortion regardless of the reason, we will help you obtain emergency contraception, and we will find you a competent gynecologist. Because we are #AlwaysOnYourSide.
