Helena Dalli has been recorded delivering a speech on the situation regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights in Poland. The speech comes as a response to Poland’s recent enforcement of the proposed bill that bars women with non-viable pregnancies from seeking terminations. The overall legal situation surrounding abortion in Poland ultimately bans up to 98% of abortions, qualifying as one of the few countries with such highly restrictive laws. Helena Dalli speaks of the significance of sexual health, the constitutionality of the laws passed in Poland, and the right to receive high quality reproductive healthcare.
While this speech is indeed both commendable and truthful, one cannot help but notice the complete omission of the Commissioner’s home country, Malta, which is the last remaining member of the European Union with a blanket ban on abortion. Just like Poland, in Malta, women are unable to legally seek an abortion in the case of non-viable pregnancies. However, unlike Poland, in Malta, even when the pregnant person’s life is at risk, one cannot obtain an abortion, legally. In fact, there is no circumstance under which a person can legally seek an abortion in Malta.
Women in Malta continue to order medical abortion pills online and struggle to seek surgical abortions overseas, with additional barriers including legal status, disabilities, domestically violent situations, single motherhood, financial stability and more. Yet, in spite of this, politicians have offered little more than radio silence on a European level.
Video courtesy of Voice for Choice – L-Għażla Tagħha
Emily Galea is a writer and feminist activist in Malta. She is the Vice-President of Young Progressive Beings, Project Co-lead of the Dear Decision Makers campaign, and MA student in Gender, Society & Culture at the University of Malta.
