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2nd Oct 2023

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Bianca's Story

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Women in Romania have had a legal right to an abortion since 1990. But many seeking care find themselves in a Kafkaesque trap.

Bianca, a young Romanian, ended up obtaining abortion pills without a prescription, and she took them without medical supervision.

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The work done by investigative reporter Lina Vdovîi in Bucharest illustrates how politicians and priests — and even doctors — seek to shut down a woman's right to choose.

The situation is not unique to Romania; women in Croatia and Italy face similar obstacles. The world increasingly looks to Europeans for leadership in civil rights and gender equality. So how can this still be happening?

A key issue is that maternal healthcare and abortion are not explicitly referenced in European treaties, explains Irina Trichkovska of law firm White & Case. That "sadly causes significant disparities in the treatment of women across the EU," she says.

Author bio

EU Scream is the progressive politics podcast from Brussels. Produced by James Kanter with graphics by Helena Malikova and music by Lara Natale.

You may also follow via @euscreams subscribe via iTunes, Spotify or from the EU Scream website.

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