Premiere of the Contraception Policy Atlas 2024
The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) has presented the latest edition of the Contraception Policy Atlas, a pan-European ranking of countries in terms of access to contraception. This year, the expert panel of the Atlas included Federa’s national advocacy coordinator, Antonina Lewandowska. Poland once again achieved the worst score in Europe. Contraception is easier to obtain even in authoritarian countries such as Russia and Belarus. The poor outcome was influenced, among other things, by the narrow range of reimbursements or the ever-present requirement to obtain a prescription for emergency contraception. At FEDERA’s request, the EPF also prepared a simulation, of Poland’s result, as if some of the changes postulated by FEDERA were implemented. Poland would then achieve a score of more than 70 per cent, achieving for the first time ever the colour green, signifying good access to contraception.
Emergency contraception
The lower house of parliament supported a bill abolishing the requirement to obtain a prescription for emergency contraception. According to the bill that was voted through, medicines containing ulipristal acetate will be available without a prescription for those over the age of 15. The bill is likely to be supported by the Senate, but there is a chance that it will be vetoed by the President.
FEDERA’s cooperation with the government
Over the past two months, FEDERA has been meeting regularly with representatives of the Polish government. Among others, there have been meetings with the Minister for Equality Katarzyna Kotula, the Minister for Health Izabela Leszczyna and the Deputy Minister for Health Wojciech Konieczny. The meetings concerned SRHR issues, in particular the legalisation of abortion
Abortion draft bills
Two more abortion draft bills were tabled in parliament, one legalising abortion by the Civic Coalition and the other reinstating the ban on abortion as it existed before 2020 by the Third Way. As a reminder, there are already two bills in parliament legalising and decriminalising abortion by the Left, tabled in November 2023. All bills are expected to be voted on for the first time at the session of the Sejm in early March.
FEDERA on the Forbes list
As many as 8 people associated with FEDERA have been included in a list of 100 people supporting sex education in Poland compiled by Forbes magazine and SexEd.This is a huge accolade for FEDERA and its activists
FEDERA’s effective advocacy
As a result of FEDERA’s advocacy work, the Ministry of Health confirmed that people who refused to perform statutory abortions would not be appointed as provincial consultants.
Also after FEDERA’s intervention, the Polish Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians withdrew from its guidelines on abortion, removing the controversial elements concerning the obligation to organise consultations for patients who want to terminate their pregnancies on the basis of a certificate from a psychiatrist.