Dozens of Romanian feminist activists chanted in front of the Ministry of Health on 28 September – International Safe Abortion Day during the rally organized by the feminist collective #MultumescPentruFlori.
We demanded unrestricted and free-of-charge access to safe abortion and to public reproductive and sexual health services for everyone, especially for teenagers and vulnerable women.
On International Safe Abortion Day, we took to the streets together because we are outraged by all the recent tragedies and humiliations that women endure when trying to access public reproductive health services (abortion on demand, childbirth, gynecological consultation, etc.).
In August this year, a 25-year-old woman, who was three months pregnant, arrived bleeding at the maternity hospital in Botosani city, northeastern Romania. Although she had repeatedly told the doctors and nurses in charge that the pain was unbearable, that she was bleeding and could no longer breathe, she was not given medical care for seven hours. The surgery she needed, an abortion, was not performed in time and she died while in the hospital.
Shortly before this tragedy, a 24-year-old pregnant Roma woman with hearing and speech impairments arrived at the hospital in Urziceni town, because she was in labour. On the grounds that there was no gynaecologist on duty, the nurse urged the woman to go out in front of the hospital and wait there for the ambulance that would take her to the hospital in Slobozia town, 60 kilometres away. By the time the ambulance arrived, it was too late for her to be taken to another hospital, and the woman gave birth right there on the pavement.
We are outraged, enraged and support all the efforts of anti-racist associations to bring justice to such cases. Words cannot express our indignation and revolt strongly enough. These recent cases show the precarious state of the public health system. On 28 September, in front of the Ministry of Health, we demanded the restoration of our government’s responsibility for our reproductive health and rights.
#InternationalSafeAbortionDay
#ZiuaInternationalaaAvortuluiInSiguranta
#multumescpentruflori
#Sept28 #InternationalSafeAbortionDay #UnstoppableMovement
#WeAreUnstoppable #UnstoppableMovement
#AbortionSolidarity
#September28
