The reproductive rights campaign in Poland

Abstract

The paper is based upon the author's personal experience as an activist of one of the new women's organisations which came into being in 1989 when the total ban of abortion draft was presented to the Polish Parliament. The reproductive rights campaign in Poland had begun at that time, and it contributed to awaken women's group consciousness to a certain degree. Although the present campaign has lasted for more than 3 years, it is only one stage of a longer battle. Its beginning can be traced to pre-war Poland, about 60 years ago. That campaign also coincided with the period of important legal system transformations in Poland. The Catholic Church, whose role in preserving the national identity of the Polish people can't be denied, used to take advantage of moments of crises and transformations in order to strengthen its domination in political and social life. Therefore, the clash between two political options—narrow, national-Catholic and open, liberal— more apparent to the public than the cause of women's rights.