Media

A revived debate on abortion in Europe

Conservatism evident in Slovakia’s proposed `freedom of conscience’ deal with Vatican

March 08, 2006|By Tom Hundley, Tribune foreign correspondent.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The abortion debate in Europe–long thought to be settled in favor of liberal abortion laws–has been rekindled by the eastward expansion of the European Union. Slovakia and its much larger neighbor, Poland, have been at the forefront of a new conservatism that is ruffling more than a few feathers in Western Europe’s bastions of liberalism. Read more

 

Slovakia debates sex education in schools

When it comes to discussing sex, Slovaks may be among Europe’s most conservative. About 60% of people claim to be Catholic and this is leading to some very lively discussion over attempts to introduce sexual education into school. Read more

 

Abortion foes get more vocal as EU expands

Catholic Church pushes its message

Elizabeth Bryant, Chronicle Foreign Service, Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Portugal — Pregnant with her third child in January, 36-year-old Maria Silva decided two were enough. In most European countries, the next step would have been simple: Check into a clinic for an abortion. But Silva lives in the northern Portuguese town of Aveiro, where seven women went on trial in late 2003 for having abortions. So instead, she followed step-by-step Internet directions on how to end her pregnancy.”I didn’t want this pregnancy,” said the married mother of two boys, speaking from her home about 40 miles from Porto, in the country’s northeast. “Now, I feel free, like a new person.” Read more

 

Conscientious objection – a hot topic in Slovakia

21.06.2005, by Katarina Richterova  Radio Slovak International – ENGLISH SECTION – HARD TALKThe director of one of the largest hospitals in Bratislava confirms that their hospital doesn’t perform abortions, the right of every woman granted by the constitution.  “This is how we have been doing it for many years. If a woman wants to get an abortion, there are many other hospitals she can go to.”Yes, but this is not the only case in which a hospital has issued such a ban. For example the hospitals in big Slovak towns Trnava and Nitra have the same policy: they too refuse to perform abortions, on the grounds of conscientious objection. Read more

 

Women find their voice

Slovak women’s groups join EU sisters to achieve gender equality

Slovak Spectator. By Martina Jurinová, Spectator staff

THE EUROPEAN Women’s Lobby is the largest non-governmental women’s organisation in the EU. It serves as a link between political decision-makers in the EU and more than 4,000 women’s associations in 15 member states.

When Slovakia acceded to the EU, Slovak women mobilised and formed their own umbrella organisation for women’s rights groups: The Women’s Lobby of Slovakia (ŽLS). The ŽLS is working with the European Women’s Lobby towards a common goal: achieving gender equality in Europe. Read more

 

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