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Follow up on October workshop and overview on Opposition in Europe

Follow up on October workshop and overview on Opposition in Europe. EuroNGOs membership meeting 18 February 2005. Elizabeth Bennour, Director, Programme & Advocacy. Opposition Workshop, 4-5 October 2004, Brussels. Workshop Objectives

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Follow up on October workshop and overview on Opposition in Europe

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  1. Follow up on October workshop and overview on Opposition in Europe EuroNGOs membership meeting 18 February 2005 Elizabeth Bennour, Director, Programme & Advocacy

  2. Opposition Workshop,4-5 October 2004, Brussels Workshop Objectives • To update knowledge and share information on new strategies/initiatives of the opposition in US and in Europe • To assess developments in the situation of opposition in Europe since 2003 and review actions/tools developed • To develop ways in which SRHR actors in Europe can use common pro-active approaches in advocacy and monitoring of the opposition

  3. Outputs/outcomes • Kept up momentum around opposition • Alerted participants on latest developments (e.g. Article 51, Lithuania, etc.) Action plan: • Parliamentarians • Sexuality education • Calendar of important events for 2004-2005

  4. Action Plan (1) • Consolidate the Brussels-based SRHR group and allocate tasks • Collect background information on MEPs and MPs – supportive and anti-choice • Approach MEPs and MPs open to SRHR, develop, maintain and cultivate relationships, provide quality and timely information • Produce fact sheets on opposition groups • Develop EuroNGOs website to store opposition news and host action alerts • Set up EuroNGOs Opposition List Serve

  5. Action Plan (2) • Develop guidelines/system for action alerts • Provide update and information on the opposition at the key international meetings in 2005 • Set common line of thinking and definition of sexuality education • Inform MEPs and remind supportive MEPs of existing reports and documents calling for comprehensive sex education

  6. Action Plan (3) • Introduce concept of sexuality education in EU Fora • Survey on Parents’ support for comprehensive sex education • Document existing information about myths of sex education • Meet with Vice-Chair of EP Women’s Rights Committee • Increase Youth participation

  7. Follow up on Opposition • Post-workshop coordination left very loose • IPPF EN agreed to report back at EuroNGOs meeting Issue: How to coordinate information flows, action and resources EuroNGOs Opposition task Force: agreed principles – October 2003 (revised)

  8. Opposition Resource Guide Opposition Resource Guide: a European view IPPF EN with PAI, PPFA, SIECUS

  9. Latest news on Opposition in Europe (1) • Buttiglione rejected as European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs • Irish woman (D.) takes Ireland to European Court for Human Rights arguing that inability to have an abortion in Ireland was in breach of her human rights. • UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural rights has urged Malta and Poland to review/liberalize their abortion legislation and SRHR policies. Euro-Fam campaigns against UN position. • Swiss anti-choice movement defeated in plebiscite on new law allowing embryonic stem cell research under strict conditions and did not succeed to collect the 50000 signatures to obtain a new plebiscite! • Swedish anti-choice organizations hold hearing in Swedish parliament on medical abortion

  10. Latest news on Opposition in Europe (2) • French opposition created coalition “30 years, it’s enough” on 30th anniversary of decriminalization of abortion in France • Secretary general of the Episcopal Conference, created an uproar within the Church when he said: "Artificial contraception has its place in the integrated and global fight against AIDS. The church is very worried and concerned by the problem." • New anti-choice organization in Finland to lobby against abortion. • Rejection of authorization for medical abortion in Lithuania

  11. Latest news on Opposition in Europe (3) The Slovak Situation: • Draft Treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See about to be voted by the government • Catholic actors to interfere in all spheres of society • A precedent for the opposition movement in Europe? • Slovak MA alerted IPPF EN: Statement to support SRHR and Women’s Rights in the Slovak Republic (January), distributed to all MAs of the region, to relevant key politicians in Europe: action was coordinated with IPPF CO – wide support and feedback • MSI circulated the news on WorldPop list serve • Article on Zaborska by Mary-Ann Stephenson, Monday February 7, 2005 – The Guardian

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