Last April 23, the Senate passed the amendment, proposed by MP Malagola of Fratelli d’Italia, to Legislative Decree 19/2024 which strengthens the access of anti-abortion associations to clinics at a national level by including them in the distribution of funds of the National Recovery Plan and resistance (PNRR), which concerns the financing of local healthcare.
The Regions, which are responsible for organizing consultancy services, “can avail themselves” without burdening public finances, “of the involvement of third sector entities” with “qualified experience in maternity support”.
The national legitimation of anti-abortion associations to operate in clinics is placed in an already tragic reality: public funding for private clinics managed by Catholic and anti-abortion associations has long existed in Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Umbria, Marche, Friuli Venezia Giulia, while those public institutions are closed, emptied of staff, incorporated into health homes, depriving us of free, secular, open and accessible social and healthcare facilities to all. For this reason we ask the Puglia Region not to make use of this amendment.
Law no. 34/1996 and also the recent Ministerial Decree n. 77/2022 provide for 1 clinic for every 20,000 inhabitants, while at a national level we have now reached 1 clinic for every 45,000/75,000 inhabitants and many of the multi-specialist offers (support for pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, pharmacological abortion, contraception, prevention, youth space) are disregarded everywhere.
Today, not only are the clinics insufficient, but they no longer perform many of the functions for which they were created, emptied of their political purpose to become in many cases little more than clinics. Also in Brindisi the counseling center in the Paradiso neighborhood has been closed and the offer of specialist services is reduced. There is no coordination between the activities of the Consultancy and that of the Perrino Hospital regarding the IVG, a hospital which has recently been able to ensure voluntary abortion because there are finally non-objecting healthcare personnel.
This amendment, in addition to representing an improper use of PNRR funds – as also underlined by the European Commission for Economic and Financial Affairs – does not bring any improvement to public health.
Fighting for consultants also means fighting for dignified treatment of people who work in healthcare.
May 22nd, anniversary of law 194/78, is a day in which we take the cry to the streets “much more of 194″: we are witnessing the great contradiction of a law that should protect the right to abortion, but instead protects the possibility that anti-abortion associations enter clinics (art. 2), gives space to conscientious objection (art. 9) and obliges the woman to undergo a “reflection week” (art. 5) when she decides to terminate the pregnancy.
We want more: in line with WHO guidelines, medical abortion should be possible up to the 12th week of pregnancy in clinics and at home. We take to the streets to defend the acquired rights that are being questioned and to conquer new ones.
NOT ONE LESS TOAST
Joining:
Io Donna Association, ANPI, AUSER, CGIL Gender Policy Coordination, SPI CGIL Women Coordination, fr/Azione Tuturano Association, ARCI Brindisi.
