Target: Stanisław Karczewski, Senate Speaker
Goal: Praise the Polish senate for putting a stop to an attempt to extremely restrict women’s right to have abortions.
Poland was set to pass a bill that would have prevented women from attaining abortions even in instances of rape, incest, severe problems with the fetus, or dire risk to the mother’s life. Thankfully, the efforts of the far right party to ban all abortions in Poland have been foiled by the senate, which refused to draft a bill that would tighten the already restrictive abortion laws. Senate Speaker Stanisław Karczewski was initially in favor of the ban, but he was persuaded to put a stop to this ban by protesters, human rights groups and by ForceChange petitions like this one.
In Poland, it is currently only legal to have abortions in cases of rape, incest, severe fetal deformities, and when medical complications threaten the life of the mother. Protesters in Poland let the government know that they were not only unhappy with the new proposed restrictions, but that they also wanted to make the current laws more liberal. Over 30,000 women came out to protest the extreme restrictions. Women skipped out on work and school to fight for their rights.
Women across the world suffer from unequal rights and opportunities. Having the right to control what happens to your body is an important right that the government should not have any control over. Sign this petition to praise the Polish government’s progressive change of heart on this issue.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Karczewski,
Thank you for refusing to draft a bill that would further restrict the rights of women in Poland. The total ban on abortion would have denied women access to abortions even in cases of rape, incest, severe fetal deformities, or when medical complications threaten the life of the mother. This law sought to control women’s bodies in a way that no government should.
The Polish government was taught a lesson in humility this week when tens of thousands of people came out to protest extreme restrictions on abortion. It takes a strong government to admit that it was wrong and listen to the will of its citizens.
While the Polish government still has a long way to go in reforming its strict laws on abortion, preventing this ban from going forward was a step in the right direction. I hope that in the future, Poland will continue to take steps to protect the rights of women. Thank you for standing up against this draconian abortion law.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Steve Rainwater
394 Signatures