The progressive agenda of the Spanish government does not stop. After the approval on 25 August of the law of “Only yes is yes”the Council of Ministers gave the green light on Tuesday 30 August in second reading to the new abortion law or sexual health law. Now the rule will pass to parliament, where discussion is expected to be difficult. The executive’s goal is to approve it before the end of the legislature, next fall.
The law addresses several issues: the iVoluntary termination of pregnancywhich is expanded and guaranteed in public hospitals, new funding for contraceptive methods, the mandatory nature of sex education in each educational stage and various measures to protect the menstrual health. The Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, presented the law during a press conference: “The right to decide on our body is part of one of the fundamental rights, the Right to health“, he has declared.
Voluntary termination of pregnancy – The bill wants to eliminate everyone the obstacles that women face in order to have an abortion. For this reason, the text provides that the national health system guarantees access to the voluntary interruption of the pregnancy to all people who request it. Autonomous communities, which have competences in health mattersthey will have to ensure that anyone can have an abortion in a public hospital and that it is possible to access this service in a health center near their home, guaranteeing at least one in the provincial capitals.
To prevent this right from being denied, the text also provides for the creation of a register of conscientious objectors in each region, where professionals will have to register. “There must always be doctors in health centers available to practice termination of pregnancy, ”Montero said. Conscientious objectors and the obstacles to proceeding with the termination of pregnancy is a recurring theme also in Italy, especially in these days of election campaign.
In the Marche and Umbria, two regions led by the Brothers of Italy and the Lega – whose coalition is first in the polls for the next elections September 25-, access to abortion is very limited, both for the anti-abortion policies of the juntas and for the presence of many objecting doctors. With this new law, all young women starting from 16 years – up to now she was from 18 onwards – and women with disability they will be able to abort without the permission of parents or guardians. “So let’s eliminate that step back in rights that the Popular Party had introduced”, explains the minister. In fact, in 2015, the government of Mariano Rajoy it had limited the possibility of having an abortion freely to girls of this age group.
Furthermore, two other requirements are still eliminated mandatory. Today, women requesting an abortion receive an envelope that contains information on their rights, their rights public aid and incentives for maternity support, on tax benefits. After receiving these documents, it is mandatory to let them pass three days of reflection before undergoing the surgery. With the new law, the government remove these requirements, which for many associations and activists are considered bollards. “The state respects the decision of women and does not doubt theirs choices”Declared Montero.
Menstrual health and leave – “Menstruation will no longer be a taboo“. So the minister introduced another fundamental chapter of the billwhich guarantees a paid leave from the state for painful and disabling menstruation, after medical check-up. “This law helps normalize the menstrual health debate. The era of going to work with these pains is over, ”she said.
The text also provides for the distribution of menstrual hygiene products in schools, penitentiary and social centers with the aim of “Fight against menstrual poverty”. Although the reduction o elimination of VAT for these products were not included in the bill, the executive intends to include them in the budget law, according to the Spanish newspaper El País.
Maternity leave – The text includes a part relating to the maternity: guarantees a prepaid leave, from week 39, which does not subtract days foreseen from maternity leave. In addition, a common protocol will be activated in all hospitals in the country that collects national and international guidelines on childbirth respectful of the circumstances of every woman.
Contraceptive methods and sex education – The bill also establishes the free distribution of barrier contraceptives in schools, penitentiary centers and other social centers. It expands public funding of long-lasting birth control methods and also promotes the male oneswith the aim of raising awareness in society that contraception it is not just the responsibility of women. The latest generation birth control pills will be fully financed by the Social Security (the Spanish correspondent of INPS). The surgeries they will have to dispose of the morning-after pill, which must be given free of charge to anyone who requests it. Also, it will need to be available obligatorily in all pharmacies. Sex education is a fundamental point of this norm, in line with that on sexual freedom approved by parliament last Thursday.
The text reiterates that these teachings will be mandatory in all educational stages. “To know our bodies, to have relationships based on consent, to protect and legitimize sexual diversity, to learn about contraceptive methods, to prevent sexually transmitted infections“, has explained. In this regard, Montero said that the lack of appropriate education in this sense has resulted in a increase of sexually transmitted diseases. And he mentioned some studies. “Almost 70% of secondary school students say that the sex education they received was not useful for their private life and that the main sources of information are internet they amici”.
Surrogacy and violence against women – The text considers surrogacy as one form of violence against women. For this reason, it prohibits any advertising from agencies offering these services abroad. Among the different types of violence also includes the forced sterilizationreproductive exploitation and forced contraception, with particular attention to women suffering from disability.