SDP Women Forum organized an anti-anti-abortion action.
In front of the Vukovar General Hospital, the SDP Women Forum organized a peaceful protest action to defend women's right to choose and their autonomy when making decisions about their own body. The assembled members of SDP stood in front of the Vukovar hospital and carried signs that read: “Woman's body is not public property”, “A woman is not an object”, “Defend the right to choose”, “We care about born children”, reports Večernji List on March 31, 2017.
“All women in Croatia should have the right to choose and make independent decisions about their bodies and live in better socio-economic conditions. With the adopted declaration, we have welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Court which protected the abortion on demand as legal and available to all,” said the president of SDP Women Forum Karolina Leaković.
Just 15 metres away from them, there was a group of people holding a prayer vigil and praying for unborn children. Livaković said that such gatherings have been taking place in recent years throughout Croatia, adding that it was a psychological pressure on women who come to hospitals, regardless of what kind of procedures they have. “Women in Croatia should not be exposed to any pressure in front of public health facilities,” said Leaković.
Head of SDP Youth Forum Biljana Gaća said that the protest action of SDP members was an indication that there were people in Croatia and in Vukovar who had a different opinion about the right to choose and the right to make autonomous decisions about themselves and their bodies.
“We have nothing against SDP’s action. We are a democratic country and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just like they demonstrate their opinion, we are doing the same, quietly and prayerfully expressing our opinion. We send from this place a daily message that every human being has the right to live, including an unborn child. They are also human beings and have the right to live, just like their parents. By standing in front of hospitals, we are showing women that they are not alone and that they have support in us,” said Renata Zaoborni, a representative of the prayer group. She added that the initiative provided help to women in finances, accommodation and employment.
