Poland's Highest Court Bans Abortion

By Camila Acosta, Sports Editor

Courtesy of CNN

On Thursday, Oct. 22, Poland’s conservative government rolled back access to pregnancy termination due to fetal abnormalities. This ends one of the few remaining arguments for a legal abortion, reinforcing one of Europe’s most restrictive abortion laws.

“The woman’s comfort is not a reason for ‘killing the unborn child,” Poland's highest court said in a public statement.

This verdict has sent the country into chaos. On that Thursday alone, there were over 450 demonstrations with half a million people present. Protests are only expected to grow in size due to how publicized the movement has become. Demonstrations in support of women across the entirety of Poland continue to occur.

Officials reportedly did not think this ruling would be an issue, but a recent poll by British media company Kantar showed only 13 percent of Poland's population are in favor. This contradicts the rest of the population’s strong opposition to the ruling.

“We will not stop fighting for women’s fundamental rights - the right to legal and safe abortion, the right to make decisions about our own bodies, our own lives,” Executive Director of the Federation for Women and Family planning Krystyna Kacpura said. “We are publicly declaring that if even one woman is harmed by unsafe abortion, we will hold the Polish state accountable.”

The ruling was finalized and published the following Monday. However, due to high tensions and the massive outbreak of protests, the government has decided to postpone its implementation.

As a result of the opposition, President Andrzej Duda has proposed a new law which would allow abortions of fetuses with life threatening defects but excludes those with disorders such as down syndrome. Meanwhile, the prime minister has called for a conversation with both protesters and lawmakers in hope of coming to a compromise.

Activists are vigilant towards his proposal and Morawiecki’s call for a compromise, but are in the process of planning more protests.

“Women coming together to fight against the already restrictive abortion laws is empowering. The government is trying to impose even stricter abortion legislation, but having access is a civil right. Women all across Poland are fighting despite the current pandemic, and I support them,” Senior Joanna Walters said. “We can continue to raise awareness on social media and help place more pressure on the Polish government to restore these rights.”

While Poland seems to be far away and to have no correlation with the US, restrictions such as this in any country can have great effects on others.

“The ban on abortion in Poland is absurd and pathetic. It bothers me that women are stripped the right to do as they please with their life and their bodies,” senior Makala Mckoy said. “I’m not too sure how the US can help. I feel as though if we loosened our own abortion laws, women from other places that have strict abortion laws could come here and receive the help they need.”