Women's Strike launches legal abortion initiative

The Women's Strike leader on Thursday announced the launching of a "Legal Abortion - No Compromises" initiative aimed at ensuring access to abortion in Poland. The project will run its own website.

"Here in Poland we're not talking about changing anti-abortion laws. We're saying that we don't want anti-abortion laws. We want access to a service, because abortion is a medical service," Women's Strike leader Marta Lempart said.

The initiative is a response to an October 22 ruling by the Polish constitutional court which bans abortion on foetal damage grounds, thus practically making abortion impossible in Poland.

The ruling sparked mass protests by women countrywide, which are continuing.

Announcing the initiative at a Thursday press conference, Lempart said its aim was not to change abortion laws but secure free access to abortion.

She added that the initiative will run a website with current information about its progress, and said she was "very happy that legal abortion has become a major freedom symbol."