We welcome the European Parliament’s draft report on the “proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council Combating violence against women and domestic violence”. This draft report, published on 13 December, includes a clear call to ban forced sterilisation. The rapporteurs, MEPs Evin Incir and Frances Fitzgerald, proposed new articles, including:
- A new article 6a that reads: “Member States shall ensure that the following intentional conduct is punishable as a criminal offence: (a) performing surgery which has the purpose or effect of terminating a woman or girl’s ability to naturally reproduce without her prior and informed consent or understanding of the procedure; (b) coercing or procuring a woman or a girl to undergo the surgery referred to in point (a).
- A new article 29a obliges Member States to provide specialist support to victims and survivors of forced sterilisation.
Other improvements in the report include:
- Special attention to supporting and upholding the rights of victims with disabilities.
- Training on disability-related needs.
This report will serve as the basis for discussion for the European Parliament’s version of the Directive, which will then be negotiated with the Council. We will continue our advocacy to see the criminalisation reflected in the final text.
Related documents
- European Parliamen’s Draft report “on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council Combating violence against women and domestic violence (COM(2022)0105 – C9-0058/2022 – 2022/0066(COD))
- Our “End Forced Sterilisation in the EU” campaign page
Contact
Marine Uldry – Human Rights Policy Coordinator