Doc. 9508

8 July 2002

Free choice of contraception in Europe

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Zwerver and others

The Assembly,

Considers that abortion is a fundamental sexual and reproductive right and should be legal, safe and accessible to all women living in Europe;

Recalls the conclusions of the UN Conferences in Cairo (1994) and Beijing (1995) where it was underlined that all people, including young people, have the right to information, education and health services, in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS;

Is concerned by the highest abortion rate in the world in the countries of central and eastern Europe and some of the lowest modern contraceptive prevalence rates. Unsafe abortion remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the region;

Reaffirms its support to the activities of family planning non-governmental organisations which are striving for legal and safe abortion in Europe;

Calls European governments to ensure that women can access the full range of quality reproductive health care, including abortion, and in particular urges them to:

– remove all legal barriers to abortion services ;

– ensure that safe and high quality abortion services are in place to meet the needs of women;

– support the work of non-governmental organisations engaged in advocating for legal and policy reforms aimed at increasing access to safe and legal abortion services;

Signed : ¹

Zwerver, Netherlands, SOC

Biga-Friganović, Croatia, SOC

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Granlund, Sweden, SOC

Juri, Slovenia, SOC

Korhonen, Finland, EPP/CD

Olteanu, Romania, SOC

Patarkalishvili, Georgia, EPP/CD

Ringstad, Norway, LDR

Zaćiragić, Bosnia and Herzegovina, LDR

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group