Strajk Kobiet: the 'all-Poland women's strike': the fight for legal abortions in Poland
Poland has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe - and they just got stricter.
Since a crucial court decision in late October, thousands of protesters have called for the reversal of the decision to effectively ban legal abortions in the country.
Undeterred by the recent crackdown by riot police, demonstrators have said they will continue to stage protests across the country until the ban is revoked. Here's the story.
THE STATUS QUO
About 2000 legal abortions are carried out in Poland each year - the majority of which are because of foetal defects. At present, there are only three legal ways to get an abortion - if there is a foetal defect, a case of rape or incest, or if there is a threat to the mother's life.
Women’s rights groups have said that an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 Polish women either go abroad or seek illegal abortions every year due to the country’s strict abortion laws.
THE CRITICAL COURT DECISION
On Thursday, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (similar to our High Court) ruled an existing law allowing abortions of malformed foetuses was unconstitutional. The decision, once enacted, means an abortion is only allowed in cases of rape, incest or if there is a threat to the mother's life.
Abortion Without Borders (AWB), an international organisation assisting women who are in countries with strict abortion regulations, has reported a doubling of requests from Polish women.
The organisation is facilitating travel to Austria, Germany or the Netherlands - however, travel is increasingly difficult because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE SYMBOLS AT THE PROTESTS
A red lightning bolt has become the main symbol of the protests. It is part of the logo of Women’s Strike (Strajk Kobiet), a grassroots women’s rights initiative and the main organiser of the current demonstrations.
Many demonstrators also carry umbrellas, which is a legacy from huge protests in 2016 (which took place in the rain). After that, movements began to state "we are not putting our umbrellas away", and used the umbrellas as a symbol of continued protest.