Skip to main content Skip to footer
GET HELP DONATE

Abortion Without Borders thrilled that Denmark is considering helping Polish people access abortions abroad

Published on

Stories appeared in Danish press 20 July detailing cross-party proposal to provide free abortions for limited number of Polish women in Denmark

Danish press reported that political parties the Red-Green Alliance and the Social Liberal Party want the Danish state to allocate DKK20 million (over €2.7 million) over four years to help people from Poland to have abortions in Denmark. If all goes to plan, the DKK20 million will go to the organisation Sex & Society, which – in cooperation with the international network Abortion Without Borders – will make abortion accessible to about 165 people per year. The proposal was also supported by the liberal-conservative Venstre party, currently the largest in opposition. 

Denmark allows abortion on request until the twelfth week, unless the life or health of the pregnant person is in danger. This proposal could be particularly helpful for people given diagnoses of foetal abnormality or genetic defects in the second or third trimester of pregnancy – those people who were hit hardest by Poland’s “constitutional tribunal” (pseudo-court) decisions on 22 October 2020.  

Since the tribunal’s decision came into force, the Abortion Without Borders initiative has helped more than 20,000 Polish people access abortions. More than 800 of these cases were in the second trimester of pregnancy and needed to access care in a clinic abroad. Abortion Without Borders recipients most often travel to clinics in the Netherlands and England, but occasionally travel to hospitals and clinics elsewhere in Europe. The total amount of financial support provided by all the organisations that are part of Abortion Without Borders from October 22, 2020 is more than half a million Polish zloty/over €100,000. This amount includes not only the cost of the procedure, but also travel, accommodation abroad and, where required, Covid tests. 

Abortion Without Borders welcomes the news of this Danish proposal to support people from Poland. If the proposal passes through Danish government, Abortion Without Borders will be able to help 165 more people a year to access safe and free abortion.  

Abortion Without Borders (AWB) was founded on 11 December 2019 to help people with an unwanted pregnancy in Poland or abroad. During its first year, more than 5,000 people turned to us for help to terminate their pregnancy. Since 22 October 2021, the number of people seeking abortion support has increased exponentially. The initiative Abortion Without Borders consists of Women On the Net (Poland), Abortion Dream Team (Poland), Women Help Women (international), Abortion Network Amsterdam (Netherlands), Ciocia Basia (Germany) or Abortion Support Network (England). Abortion Without Borders informs about the safe abortion options available, provides consultation before, during and after the abortion, informs how to get safe pills for pharmacological abortion, supports financially, logistically and practically in organizing abortions abroad. 

Abortion Without Borders values: 

  • We help people access abortions 
  • We reduce stigma around abortion, whether with pills at home or at a clinic abroad 
  • We never ask clients how they got pregnant or why they want abortions, but trust and respect the autonomy of pregnant people 
  • We ensure that “I can’t afford an abortion” is never the only reason someone has a baby, or another baby.

In the press

Vogue Poland: Dania umożliwi Polkom legalną aborcję? [Denmark to allow Polish women to have legal abortion?]