Highlighting and Pro Familia are circulating information regarding "Safe Abortion Day"
In the heart of Germany, two organizations - Pro Familia Pforzheim and Spotlight counseling center - are advocating for a significant change in the nation's reproductive healthcare landscape. They call for comprehensive state support for families, the abolition of gender-specific criminalization, and comprehensive access to abortions throughout Germany, including in Pforzheim.
The current demand for the complete abolition of Paragraph 218 of the German Criminal Code, which criminalizes abortion, remains present in political and activist discourse. This demand aligns with ongoing debates about women's reproductive rights in Germany, where Paragraph 218 still criminalizes abortion under certain conditions, although exceptions and regulations exist.
The organizations argue that the decision to continue a pregnancy should be made solely by the pregnant person. They believe that the restriction of reproductive rights is often one of the first steps in the curtailment of the fundamental rights of minorities and marginalized persons. To this end, they aim to remove structural barriers such as racism, disability, trans, and inter-phobia in access to reproductive healthcare.
In Pforzheim, the Spotlight counseling center and Pro Familia Pforzheim have filled a display case with information on self-determination and demands. They advocate for the inclusion of contraception and abortion in the standard healthcare coverage of health insurance companies, ensuring these essential services are accessible to all.
Reproductive rights and optimal healthcare are considered fundamental human rights and should not be part of the Criminal Code, according to both organizations. They argue that abortion is not a criminal act but a personal and medical decision. Their primary demand is the protection of "physical autonomy instead of criminalization".
However, the healthcare for those seeking abortions in Germany is inadequate, and the criminalization of abortions deters doctors from operating in the "legal gray area". Abortions are not part of the medical school curriculum and specialist training due to the criminal offense.
The current demand for the complete abolition of Paragraph 218 is not yet law, and it remains a debated political issue. A commission of the federal government is currently working on a reform of paragraph 218, but both organizations demand its complete abolition.
The organizations' actions are not limited to local advocacy. They participate in international events such as the "Safe Abortion Day" celebrated every 28th of September since 1990. Actions on this day aim to remind people that a safe abortion should be a right for women.
In summary, there is an active and ongoing demand for the complete abolition of Paragraph 218 by certain political actors and women's rights advocates in Germany. However, the law itself remains in effect, and the debate continues.
- The two organizations in Pforzheim, Pro Familia Pforzheim and Spotlight counseling center, are imploring for the complete abolition of Paragraph 218 of the German Criminal Code, which criminalizes abortion.
- The organizations believe that the decision to continue a pregnancy should be made solely by the pregnant person and argue that the restriction of reproductive rights is often detrimental to the fundamental rights of minorities and marginalized persons.
- They advocate for the inclusion of contraception and abortion in the standard healthcare coverage of health insurance companies, making these essential services accessible to all.
- These organizations participate in international events like the "Safe Abortion Day" to remind people that a safe abortion should be a universal right for women, not a criminal act.
