Despite last-minute attempts by the far right and parts of the centre right to sabotage the democratic process, today the European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) adopted an amended version of the controversial 'Estrela' report on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The report will now likely be voted by all MEPs at the December plenary session in Strasbourg.

GUE/NGL MEP Mikael Gustafsson, Chair of the FEMM Committee said: “I am very happy that we, through decisions taken in a democratic and transparent way involving all the political groups, have adopted an amended report that should now be voted in plenary without further delay. I now hope that all groups will take their political responsibility and judge the report on its substance, and not try to further attack the report with false claims on procedural issues.”

Although some of the issues defended by the GUE/NGL, such as access to assisted fertility treatment for single women and lesbians, and a ban on forced sterilisation of transpersons, were voted out of the report, the report remains a strong message from the European Parliament in support of SRHR.

“Some people will always be against women's rights and sexual and reproductive rights, but they are a minority. And they should not be allowed to stop the adoption of this very important report that sends a strong message in support of women's access to contraception, to safe, legal, and public abortion services, for young people's rights to sexual education, and for equality for LGBT people,” said GUE/NGL MEP Inês Zuber.
 

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group