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The freedom to decide whether and by what means a person wishes to conceive and bear children is also enshrined in human rights and is a basic requirement of gender equality. Restrictive regulations of abortions violate human rights and endanger the health of pregnant women, non-binary, and trans* people who seek an abortion. The World Health Organisation recommends for states to enable swift access to safe abortions. The realities in EU Member States however differ to varying degrees from those recommendations.
The Working Paper compares regulations, coverage of costs, and provision as well as data on abortions in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain. It contrasts existing regulations and practices with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, human rights standards of reproductive and sexual rights, and the concept of reproductive justice. All five EU Member States should improve their regulation and provision of abortions, to effectively guarantee the rights and health of pregnant persons.