Their Freedom, our Fight! Sign the Open Letter to Support Polish Women

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05/10/2016 12:00 am

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Open letter

To the women of Poland,

Across Europe, we are watching in horror as your parliament tries to take away your fundamental human rights. We condemn this attack on your freedom to make choices. We support your efforts to stop this terrible ban on abortion and we stand with you in solidarity across borders.

Sign the open letter here:
https://act.wemove.eu/campaigns/abortion

Why is this important?

The Polish parliament is trying to ban abortion – terminating a pregnancy will become a criminal act.Survivors of rape will be forced to give birth. Doctors could face jail time for performing prenatal tests.Miscarriages will be met not with medical care, but questions from a prosecutor.

Women’s groups across Poland are holding protests and boycotts. To face the difficult times with strength and courage, they need our solidarity – but they also need our concrete support to continue their struggle in a hostile political environment. “To go on organising protests and working with women, we badly need financial support”, says Dorota, one of the activists of the grassroot movement Gals for Gals.

Men and women in the WeMove community are sending an open letter along with donations to the women protesting against this attack on their basic rights and freedoms, to show our solidarity and support.“This isn’t just our fight – it’s about the rights of all women, everywhere in Europe, but we feel like we’re fighting this on our own” says Dorota. Together, we can build a huge show of solidarity – and by chipping in a little money, we can have real impact in helping these grassroots groups continue with their essential work.

The law on abortion in Poland is already one of the most restrictive in Europe. The new proposed law would make abortion illegal and punishable in all cases, except when there is an immediate and undeniable threat to a woman’s life.

There is already a huge amount of momentum in Poland to stop this opressive law. Together, we can help strengthen it. Last Sunday, we were there to share this overwhelming message of solidarity with thousands of women and men who came to express their rage, at the biggest march for women’s rights ever to happen in Poland!

On Wednesday, the European Parliament will hold a hearing on the situation of women’s rights in Poland.Women from the movement Dziewuchy Dziewuchom will be in Strasbourg and they will deliver our message of solidarity to Parliament. So let’s make it louder! Add your name now, and together, let’s show the Polish gals that we will not let them stand alone!

This campaign is run in partnership with the European Women’s Lobby and the International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network.


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