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<div><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2">Dear PHM supporters, <br><br>I'm forwarding this urgent and important call for solidarity from Poland where <b>lawmakers are working on draft legislation to ban abortions altogether, even for women who were raped, or carrying deformed foetuses or face health risks. </b><br></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"><br></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2">Below is a sample letter you can use to the Polish Prime Minister, who is also the head of the </font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2">biggest party
currently running for re-election. <br>Please send a letter today to the Polish PM to
prevent criminalization of abortion, and spread this message to your networks.</font></div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show">You can email the
letter to : <a href="mailto:Donald.Tusk@sejm.pl">Donald.Tusk@sejm.pl</a> with <a href="mailto:federa@astra.org.pl">federa@astra.org.pl</a> in
cc.</span></font></div>
<div><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show"></span></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"> <br></font></div><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show">You can also support ASTRA on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/ASTRA-Network/113128578712592" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/ASTRA-Network/113128578712592</a></span></font>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show"></span></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"> </font></div><font style="font-size: 10pt;" size="2"><font style="" face="Arial">Regards,<br>Nadia<br>(forwarding this message from ASTRA - Central and Eastern Europe Women's Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights)<br></font></font><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2"> </font>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2"><span class="ecxtext_exposed_show">---------------------</span></font></div><font style="font-size: 10pt;" face="Arial" size="2">
</font><div><font face="Arial" size="2"><br><br>Your Excellency,<br><br>I write to express my concern that the
draft text for the new bill on<br>abortion: "The law on changing the Law on
family planning, protection of the human fetus and conditions for legal
abortion" - to be discussed by the Parliament's Committee by the 1st of
September - contains provisions that will result in violations of women's sexual
and reproductive rights and health.<br><br>The international human rights
standard is to liberalize abortion laws to make it safe and accessible to women
and thereby lessen maternal mortality related to unsafe abortion. The language
used in the draft of the new bill regarding the right to life does not
correspond to that used in international and European human rights instruments -
to which Poland is also party - as it unconditionally prohibits abortion,
thereby leading not to lessening the number of women inducing abortion but only
makes it dangerous for women who will undergo clandestine and unsafe abortion.
Passing the bill will increase maternal mortality, abortion-related injuries and
deaths are likely to be especially high among poor women, who can't afford to
travel abroad. As a result, many of them might try self-induced
abortions.<br><br>It is unacceptable that in the 21st Century, a European
country<br>includes in its legislation a provision which directly
endangers<br>women's lives. I trust that you will do your best to ensure
that<br>Poland considers reviewing its legislation regarding abortion in
a<br>forward-looking legislation, taking the lead in promoting women's<br>sexual
and reproductive rights.<br><br>Sincerely
yours,</font></div> </div></body>
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