This op-ed was written by Monika Rosa MP, Nowoczesna Board Member, Nowoczesna President in Silesia, against proposed legislation in Poland reducing access to reproductive care and limiting sexual education opportunities for young people. Rosa is also Member of the Standing Committee of National and Ethnic Minorities and active member of non-governmental organizations such as Projekt: Polska.

The human rights of women and youth are under attack in Poland. Currently, the government is exploiting the fact that, due to social distancing restrictions, mass protests against the introduced legislation on reproductive health are not allowed, which passed its first reading in the Sejm and will now be examined by the Ministries of Health as well as Family, Labour and Social Policy.

On Wednesday, the Sejm debated this legislation, which restricts access to reproductive care and makes abortion illegal in cases of severe pregnancy complications. The legislation also bans termination of pregnancy in the event of severe and irreversible damage to the fetus, including incurable and life-threatening diseases.

This legislation will actively force parents to experience visceral trauma – what it means to go through pregnancy and give birth to a child they already mourn. We should be clear in spelling out what this ban on abortion is: forced damaged pregnancies. Childbirth itself is one of the most difficult and painful things a person can voluntarily experience, and any legislation that forces someone to give birth to a child they will lose is cruel, inhuman and degrading.

Read the full article here.