Poland 2003

A protest at the dock of Wladyslawowo, next to the Langenort. Copyright Women on Waves 2004. / Polish women practising how to use condoms. Image Copyright Women on Waves 2004.

On June 16, 2003 Women on Waves set sail for Poland. We were invited by a coalition of Polish women's organisations called the "STER committee- women decide", to support them in their struggle for legal and safe abortion. In the mobile clinic of the ship “Langenort”, Women on Waves offered a range of activities and services including workshops and information on sexual health. In additions to these services, the medical staff could also provide safe and legal early medical abortion care (till 45 days of pregnancy) after sailing into international waters, which is 12 miles off the coast, where Dutch law applies.

  • Polish Diary

    Occasionally Women on Waves is accused of being a media stunt, a PR machine only set up for the hungry eyes of the press. Supposedly, they only stir up a lot of trouble in peaceful Catholic countries where women do not have the right to decide what can be removed from their uterus. Apparently, there are people that think that Women on Waves is mainly a form of Chairitertainment which does not offer any real practical help.

  • What was the effect...

    On the 20 th of June 2003, the Women on Waves vessel Langenort arrived in Polish waters. After 2 days of struggle, the ship moored in the harbour of Wladyslawowo. The ship was greeted by a large group of supporters and some protesters from the political party League of Polish Families (LPR) who threw eggs and red paint at the supporters and the ship.

  • Press release: 

    Fetus might be protected by constitutional article in Poland *

  • Some background...

    Abortion was legal in Poland until 1993, only 10 years ago. After the fall of the communist regime, the Catholic Church managed to push its aggressively anti-abortion, anti-contraceptives stance onto the mainstream political agenda. Every year since 1993 between 80.000 and 200.000 women seek illegal abortion services within Poland and many are forced to travel abroad to obtain abortions. Since 60% of the women in Poland live below the poverty line, many women can neither afford the option of travelling abroad nor are they in a position to pay the high fees of an illegal abortion.

  • Press coverage Poland 2003

    For more then 2 weeks the Women on Waves ship was the main topic in all newspapers, television and radio. Abortion was discussed openly and in depth in the media, on the streets, in homes, bars and parliament. During our stay we witnessed an enormous change in the way the discussion about abortion takes place. In newspapers and on television the issue was finally discussed with substantial arguments and the need for this medical service by women was addressed. Most of the international media also covered the story. BBC news broadcasted several news reports and there have been articles in all main American and European newspapers. A documentary about the project has been made by the BBC programme ‘Correspondent’.

  • The mobile clinic

    The mobile clinic was designed and build by Joep van Lieshout

  • Como posso eu provocar um aborto com pílulas?

    A forma mais segura de realizar um aborto até a nona semana de gravidez é utilizando dois medicamentos chamados Mifepristone (também conhecido como RU-486 ou Mifeprex, a pílula do aborto, mifegyne) e Misoprostol(também conhecido como Cytotec ou Mibetec ou Cyprostol ou Misotrol ou Arthrotec ou Oxaprost). O aborto medicinal realizado desta forma tem uma taxa de sucesso de 97%.
    Se você mora num país onde não há acesso ao aborto e você deseja realizar um aborto medicinal com Mifepristone e Misoprostol, por favor consulte o site Women on Web. Este é um serviço de ajuda ao aborto medicinal online que te direcionará a um médico que poderá te fornecer o aborto medicinal.
    Uma mulher pode também fazer um aborto até 9 semana de gravidez utilizando apenas Misoprostol.

  • Ecuador, June 2008

    The Coordinadora Juvenil por la Equidad de Género (Youth Committee for Gender Equity, ‘CPJ’) invited Women on Waves to come to Ecuador to support them in their stuggle to legalize abortion. Moreover we want to inform women of the possibility to do a safe abortion themselves with medicines, Cytotec, that are available in Ecuador.

    For help in Ecuador: (593) 099004545

  • Spain, October 2008

    Women on Waves has visited Spain from October 16 till 21 at the invitation of 33 Spanish organisations (please click here for list) concerned with a better abortion law.

    If you need help with abortion in Spain now, click here

  • Abortion hotline Chile, May 2009

    Press inquiries: +0056 984668855

  • Abortushulpverlening op ons schip

    Voor het maken van een afspraak kan je ons bellen, een e-mail sturen of langs komen bij het schip. Wij verstrekken dan informatie over wanneer en waarvandaan het schip vertrekt. De behandeling is volgens Nederlanse medische kwaliteitseisen en garandeert derhalve volledige bescherming van privacy, zowel tijdens de counselling als tijdens de eventuele behandeling. In dit artikel hebben wij voor je zoveel mogelijk op een rijtje gezet: van counselling tot de eventuele gevolgen die kunnen ontstaan na een behandeling.

  • Diário da acção em Portugal

    Até agora as Women on Waves já realizaram duas acções. A primeira foi na Irlanda, onde o Aurora, o barco das Women on Waves atracou. Lá realizou workshops de educação sexual e forneceu a pílula do dia seguinte.
    Durante a segunda acção, as Women on Waves navegaram até à Polónia, onde forneceram a mulheres polacas a pílula abortiva a bordo do Langenort, navegando até águas internacionais na costa de Wladyslawowo.
    Agora o barco das Women on Waves está a caminho de Portugal. Quando atracar, fará viagens frequentes para águas internacionais onde a lei aplicável é a lei holandesa, e a pílula abortiva pode ser administrada a mulheres portuguesas.
    Em Portugal, as Women on Waves vão alertar para os problemas causados pelas leis restritivas do aborto e propor possíveis soluções.

  • Cobertura mediática em Portugal

    Aqui tentamos dar uma ideia da intensa cobertura mediática na viagem de 2004 a Portugal. Aqui apenas nos é possível reproduzir alguns artigos da imprensa. A cobertura televisiva em todos os canais é demasiado para um web site.

  • BBC Correspondent

    Link More about the BBC documentary "Abortionship" from the Poland campaign]