March 19 — From 15 to 26 March 2021, the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women is taking place. Due to COVID-19 situation, most of the meetings are virtual. Priority theme this year is: Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Read more about the CSW and its programme here.
The coordinator of international advocacy of the Federation for Women and Family Planning took part in the side event on 18 March organised by International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Planning Familial (France); sponsored by France, Denmark and UNFPA. The side event is called “SRHR generation! – Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights: a priority for the Generation Equality Forum action coalition”. The representative of the Federation had an opportunity to ask questions to the sponsors on actions they could/would take as regards the perpetual violations by Poland fundamental rights of Polish women and girls in terms of access to the reproductive health services, including abortion.
During this exchange, the French Minister for Gender Equality, Ms Elisabeth Moreno officialy declared universal access for all women to abortion in France, including Polish women. We hope that this news will be accompanied by concrete measures that would facilitate access to abortion in France.