Over 1 Million Signatures for “My Voice, My Choice” Abortion Initiative
Over 1 Million Signatures for “My Voice, My Choice” Abortion Initiative
The European citizens’ initiative “My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion” has submitted over 1 million signatures to the European Commission, calling for a new funding mechanism to guarantee safe and affordable access to abortion across the EU.
Coordinator Nika Kovač highlighted the urgency, noting that 20 million women in Europe still lack access to safe abortion, which leads to preventable deaths. She stressed that bans do not stop abortions, but instead make them unsafe.
Activists emphasized the importance of the petition in today’s political climate, pointing to restrictive laws in countries like Poland and Malta, and warning against far-right attempts to roll back fundamental rights.
Currently, 25 EU Member States permit abortion, though time limits vary: from 10 weeks in Portugal and Croatia, to 24 weeks in the Netherlands. Most countries allow the procedure within 12 weeks.
The European Commission has until March to decide whether to act on the petition. It clarified that the initiative does not aim to establish a European right to abortion, but rather to improve access through funding.
