Forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities is a pervasive abuse and a gross violation of their fundamental rights. Nevertheless, it is ongoing and widespread across Europe and worldwide.
Our report “Forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities in the European Union”, released today, reveals that at least 13 EU countries still authorise forced sterilisation. Due to this unacceptable situation, we are calling for the EU to insert a total ban on this practice in the upcoming legislation on combatting violence against women.
The 13 EU countries in the “hall of shame” are:
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- Portugal
- Slovakia
Editor’s update November 2023: please note that as the situation evolves, and we receive more information, we have updated the status in our campaign page.
Furthermore, three countries compound this with explicit authorisation to forcibly sterilise minors: Czechia, Hungary and Portugal. In at least three others, it is a practice to include it as a requirement for admission to residential institutions: Belgium, France and Hungary. Sadly, admission to residential institutions is sometimes the only choice given to persons with disabilities. You can find more information on our webpage “Country overview”.
Ana Peláez Narváez, EDF’s Secretary-General and Vice-chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, said:
It is unconceivable that forced sterilisation, a practice that harmed countless people, is still legal. EU leaders like to say they are human rights champions – they must prove it by banning forced sterilisation now.
Pirkko Mahlmäki, Executive Committee member of EDF and former Executive Committee Member of the European Women’s Lobby, added:
Forced sterilisation may amount to ill-treatment or even torture – it causes lifelong trauma and robs people of their right to decide over their own bodies and to start a family.
Our petition. Join us to #EndForcedSterilisation
We invite Europeans to sign our petition calling for a ban on forced sterilisation.
We specifically call on the EU institutions to introduce a new article (6 bis) on the proposed Directive on combating violence against women. It should read:
- “Member States shall ensure that the intentional conduct of performing surgery which has the purpose or effect of terminating a woman’s capacity to naturally reproduce without her prior and informed consent or understanding of the procedure is punishable as a criminal offence.
- Member States shall ensure that the prior and informed consent of the woman to undergo through the surgery referred to in paragraph 1 cannot be replaced by the consent of a parent, legal guardian or court’s decision.”
Related links
- Report “Forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities in the European Union” – updated October 2022 | Easy to Read Version
- “Forced sterilisation in the EU – country legislation” page
- Petition “End forced sterilisation in the EU now!”
- Report “Ending forced sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities – 2017”
- EDF Proposal for amendments on the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence
More information
Visit our dedicated page for more information. You will find the latest updates by EU country.
Contact
Marine Uldry, EDF Senior Human Rights Officer
marine.uldry@edf-feph.org