R2 A4: Bans Off Our Bodies: Protecting Bodily Autonomy and Reproductive Justice

Access to abortion is not just a healthcare issue, but a matter of human rights,
gender equality, and social justice. The European Union must take decisive
action to protect bodily autonomy, prevent unnecessary suffering, and defend
democracy against far-right extremism. A progressive, inclusive, and feminist
Europe is one where every individual has the right to make decisions about their
own body: without fear, stigma, or political interference.

Recognizing that:

1. Abortion is a basic human right and an essential part of reproductive
   healthcare. It must be accessible, safe, legal, and free from stigma.

2. The criminalization and restriction of abortion do not prevent abortions
   but rather drive individuals towards unsafe and life-threatening
   procedures that disproportionately harm marginalized communities.

3. Far-right and conservative movements across Europe are actively working to
   restrict reproductive rights, weaponizing abortion to advance nationalist
   and oppressive ideologies.

4. International and European legal frameworks, including the EU Charter of
   Fundamental Rights (Article 3, 4, 8, 21) and the European Convention on
   Human Rights (Article 3,14), recognize the rights to bodily autonomy, non-
   discrimination, and protection from inhumane treatment.

5. The Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (Articles 9 and 168) allows for
   European action on public health matters, particularly when fundamental
   rights are at risk.

6. The European Commission has a legal responsibility to support Member
   States in ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare,
   as per the EU4Health Program and the United Nations Sustainable
   Development Goals (SDGs).Moreover, ensuring appropriate sex education in schools across all member states should be of priority and covering comprehensive explanations of safe sex and contraceptive methods, including the side effects that hormonal contraception could have. It should also entail extensive consent education, teaching young generations how to communicate boundaries and understand mutual respect in sexual relationships.

Concerned that:

1. Many EU Member States still deny or severely restrict access to abortion,
   violating the principles of human dignity, equality, and self-
   determination.

2. Anti-choice rhetoric is growing among far-right and conservative parties,
   as evidenced by their attempts to frame reproductive rights as “extreme”
   and their use of disinformation to erode public support.

3. In countries where abortion is highly restricted, safe abortion has become
   a privilege of the wealthy, while marginalized groups are forced into
   unsafe procedures, increasing maternal mortality and morbidity.

4. The rollback of abortion rights in certain EU states, such as Poland, has
   already led to unnecessary deaths, further proving that restrictive
   policies endanger lives.

5. The lack of a unified European response has left millions of women and
   pregnant people without the healthcare they need, undermining the EU’s
   commitment to gender equality and public health.

Resolves that:

1. The member states of the European Union must enshrine the right to
   abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, ensuring access across
   all Member States. France’s recent adopted amendment of its Constitution
   proves this is possible.

2. Abortion must be fully decriminalized across Europe, removing it from
   national penal codes and guaranteeing it as a right under civil and
   constitutional law.

3. A European Safe Abortion Fund should be created to financially support
   Member States that provide abortion care for individuals unable to access
   it in their home countries.

4. The European Commission must implement an opt-in mechanism that allows
   Member States to receive EU funding for abortion services, ensuring cross-
   border reproductive healthcare.

5. Abortion pills must be widely accessible through pharmacies, telemedicine,
   and national healthcare systems to prevent barriers to access.

6. The EU must actively counter disinformation from far-right anti-choice
   movements, ensuring that pro-choice policies and reproductive rights are
   communicated clearly and effectively in all EU languages.

7. Healthcare professionals providing abortion services must be protected
   from legal harassment and criminalization, ensuring their ability to offer
   essential care without fear.

8. Medical professionals entering in fields where abortion services are
   offered, such as gynecology, must certify they will perform abortion or
   other contraceptive services. The right of a doctor to say ‘no’ must not
   override the right of pregnant people to access abortion care.

9. Sexual and reproductive health education must be strengthened in all EU
   countries, emphasizing science-based, non-judgmental information about
   abortion and contraception.

10. Member States that systematically restrict abortion rights should face
    consequences, including withholding EU health and gender equality funding
    until they comply with basic human rights standards. Consequences may
    include initiating a procedure under Article 7 of the Treaty on the
    European Union (TEU), leading to the suspension of the concerned Member
    State's right to vote in the Council of the EU.

Calls on:

• The Greens/EFA to pressure the European Commission to propose legislative
  measures that ensure universal access to abortion in the EU.

• The Greens/EFA to advocate for the European Parliament to pass a
  resolution reaffirming reproductive rights as a fundamental European
  value.

• Green parties to pressure national governments to resist far-right
  pressure and implement policies that protect and expand abortion access.

• Civil society organizations and MO’s continue mobilizing for abortion
  rights and fighting misinformation.