Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care. Opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - USA (T)

sexual and reproductive health and rights (T)

DALLI, Helena (MT, EC)

US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights in the US and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU: opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Thank you madam President, honourable members of the European Parliament. My colleague, Executive Vice President Dombrovskis, addressed this chamber on behalf of High Representative Vice President Borrell on this issue on the 6th of June. Since then, on the 24th of June, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the right to abortion established in the Roe versus Wade decision of 1973.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, The June decision returns the right to regulate abortion completely to the state level. 13 states have enacted trigger laws that have already or will soon limit or ban completely access to abortion. So it is estimated that all together, 20 states may enact total bans or severe gestational limits on abortion. President Biden has condemned the ruling. He has indicated a preference for Congress to codify federal privacy and abortion rights.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, His administration, including the Departments of State and Defence, are also exploring ways to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health care for servicemembers, their families and their civilian workforce as permitted by federal law. The ruling constitutes a rollback of a longstanding legal standard in the U.S. concerning reproductive rights impacting the lives of many women, and in particular, those and the most vulnerable situations.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, It is a reminder that hard won rights cannot be taken as a given anywhere. The EU is committed to the implementation of its obligations in relation to the human rights of girls and women arising from key frameworks, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Beijing Platform for Action. The Cairo Declaration on Population and Development. And the respective outcome reviews.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, U.N. treaty body jurisprudence has indicated that denying women access to abortion can amount to violations of the rights to health care, privacy, and in certain cases, the right to be free from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, The U.N. Human Rights Committee has confirmed that although states parties may adopt measures designed to regulate voluntary terminations of pregnancy, such measures must not result in violation of the right to life of a pregnant woman or girl, or her other rights under the covenant.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Through cooperation actions, dialogue and other initiatives, the EU supports the full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights in countries across the globe. This means enabling women and girls to ensure bodily autonomy, the free choice over their bodies, free from discrimination, coercion and violence and to lead healthy lives.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, In the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy and the EU Gender Action Plan three, the EU has committed to scaling up action to achieve gender equality, to protect and promote the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by all women and girls and their socio economic empowerment free from all forms of discrimination while applying a gender-responsive approach.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, And European Union sexual and reproductive health care is a member state responsibility. While the Commission fully recognises every person's fundamental right of equal access to high quality health care, all women across the EU should have adequate access to good quality health care and treatment. Sexual and reproductive health is part of it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, One of the objects objectives of the EU for Health Programme is to improve and foster health in the Union to reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases amongst others, by promoting access to healthcare. This includes access to sexual and reproductive health care. So the programme may support Member States actions to promote access to sexual and reproductive health care and to support integrated and intersection approaches to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, where such actions are included in the annual work programme of the EU for Health Programme.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, We also support regular exchanges between Member States and stakeholders on gender equality topics, such as gender equality and health under the mutual learning programme in gender equality. We continue to fund civil society organisations working on gender equality, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, And we provide full support to Member States' efforts in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals relevant to women's health: universal access to sexual and reproductive care, family planning and education. Women living in the EU must be equal and free in all aspects of their lives to choose the lives they want in order to lead, thrive and participate in all aspects of society. Strong women's rights are an asset and a key feature of democracies. It is an achievement we must be proud of and nurture as it can be easily lost. Thank you.