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Worldwide, the COVID pandemic is used to curtail human rights. In #Poland 
, the government is TODAY deciding on two controversial laws that limit #abortion and womens' rights.
Picture from @pozalowanawanda https://www.instagram.com/p/B-y1salnp2E/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
A THREAD (corrections welcome):
, the government is TODAY deciding on two controversial laws that limit #abortion and womens' rights.Picture from @pozalowanawanda https://www.instagram.com/p/B-y1salnp2E/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
A THREAD (corrections welcome):
The first law aims to curb the already limited sex education. In practice, this means that doctors cannot prescribe contraception to underage people or talk to them about sex. https://en.federa.org.pl/poland_srhr_bills/
The second law deals with abortion. Women in Poland can legally terminate their pregnancy if it is the result of rape, if the pregnancy poses a direct threat to the health of the mother; or if the fetus is seriously damage. https://pl.boell.org/en/2016/10/18/unloved-compromise-black-umbrellas-white-coats-and-abortion-poland
About 98 percent of legal abortions in Poland are carried out on the basis of this last reason. As the bill aims to ban abortions on this ground, this would in practice mean a total abortion ban. https://en.federa.org.pl/poland_srhr_bills/
This ban will make it harder for women from lower social strata to access a legal abortion in Poland. Without the new law, this is already difficult enough: under the so-called 'conscience clause', many doctors already refuse to carry out an abortion for fear of stigmatization
Because of this, most women depend on abortions in private clinics, often in the big cities. Women can also use abortion pills that are imported from abroad, or to travel abroad to Slovakia, the Czech Republic or Germany to carry out the procedure. https://pl.boell.org/en/2016/10/18/unloved-compromise-black-umbrellas-white-coats-and-abortion-poland
In October 2016, more than 100,000 people took the streets in over 143 locations in Poland to protest the proposal on Black Monday. Such a protest is now impossible, given the strict lockdown. https://pl.boell.org/en/2016/10/18/unloved-compromise-black-umbrellas-white-coats-and-abortion-poland
Now women protest by car or bike, or by taking banners with them when going for necessary shopping. People carry a black umbrella as a reference to the Black Monday protests. On social media the hashtag #piekłokobiet : "hell for women" is used to discuss the matter
On social media, discussions on the abortion ban take place using hashtags such as #piekłokobiet : "hell for women"
People use an image of a woman with a mask in the colors of the Polish flag as their profile picture. In this case, the mask does not solely represent the pandemic anymore, but also symbolizes the lack of opportunities for women to voice their concerns on the issue.
Not just in Poland is the COVID pandemic used to curtail rights: In Hungary, Orbán proposed a draft bill to remove the rights of transgender people. In several states in the US, abortion is abortion is now classified as a non-necessary intervention. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/02/hungary-to-end-legal-recognition-of-trans-people-amid-covid-19-crisis
With the current health crisis and looming economic crisis, women and trans rights are not as high on the agenda. Nevertheless, it is important that we not only consider the economic but also the social consequences of this pandemic.
This threat is to show some solidarity for my female friends from Poland. All of whom are definitely the kindest, most inspiring, hardworking and remarkable women I know @ekwiecin @OlgaCeran @OByrska @knalewajko @nowickka
A great article by @mariawilczek : https://twitter.com/mariawilczek/status/1250357438651514880
