Voice for Choice
Mar 8, 2019
Updated: May 19, 2020
08.03.2019
Voice for Choice is the first Maltese pro-choice coalition made up of civil society organisations and individuals who together want to campaign for reproductive rights and justice in Malta. We are grassroot organisations that represent various sectors of our society, as well as individuals that are passionate about reproductive health and rights.
Abortion continues to remain criminalised in Malta in all circumstances. We know that the reality is that women in Malta are still seeking and having abortions. However, this comes at both a financial and a social cost, as well as at the cost of their physical and mental health, as these women continue to live in fear, stigma and shame in our society.
In the last decades Malta has made great strides to be a more inclusive society. It is therefore time that the laws related to abortion follow suit so as to reflect the reality of people’s lives. We are here to ensure that all pregnant persons, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, beliefs or age are supported, respected and protected whatever their choices.
Voice for Choice today launches its campaign to:
- strive for a society based on equal respect and justice free from discrimination for all genders and minority groups;
- ensure that barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights are removed;
- promote equality in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights;
- remove shame and stigma related to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
We intend to achieve these goals through campaigning for the decriminalisation of abortion and advocating for laws that ensure that the health of pregnant people is protected and in line with international human rights standards through proper abortion care.
We will further strive to educate and debunk the myths surrounding abortion by providing factual information about sexual and reproductive health and rights.
To this aim, we will be organising activities to raise awareness in the community and combat the stigma and shame surrounding abortion, and providing up to date information to support evidence-based policy. Starting tomorrow, we will roll out our first social media campaign entitled “50 abortion myths: Get the facts straight’’ (30 ħrafa fuq l-abort: Kun af il-fatti)
Voice for Choice will also be organising an annual event to commemorate ‘International Safe Abortion Day’ (28 September).
Contact details:
Email: info@v4c.mt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/V4CMalta/
Founding Organisations:
Women's Rights Foundation
Moviment Graffitti
Malta Humanist Association
Integra
aditus
Men Against Violence
Individual co-founders
Francesca Fenech Conti and Jelena Dimke, admins Women for Women
Liza Caruana-Finkel