Activities of Karen MELCHIOR related to 2020/2215(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health (debate)
Amendments (52)
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
- having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention),
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
- having regard to the report of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of 18 October 2017 on promoting the human rights of and eliminating discrimination against intersex people,
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)
Citation 16 b (new)
- having regard to the report of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of 22 April 2015 on discrimination against transgender people in Europe,
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 14 February 2019 on the rights of intersex people;1a _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2019)0128
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 26 November 2020 on the de facto ban on the right to abortion in Poland,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 a (new)
Citation 27 a (new)
- having regard to the Joint Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on a EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III: an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action JOIN(2020) 17,
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 27 b (new)
Citation 27 b (new)
- having regard to the Commission proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a Programme for the Union's action in the field of health –for the period 2021-2027 and repealing Regulation (EU)No 282/2014 (“EU4Health Programme”) COM/2020/405,
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are based on the rights of all individuals to have their bodily integrity and personal autonomy respected; definhave their sexual orientation and gender identity fully respected; decide whether, with whom and when to be sexually active; decide whether, when and who to marry and when, whether and by what means to have a child or children; have access to the information and support necessary to achieve all of the above9 ; _________________ 9 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission, Executive Summary on sexual and reproductive health and rights, The Lancet, London, 2018, https://www.guttmacher.org/guttmacher- lancet-commission/accelerate-progress- executive-summary
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) constitute an essential element of comprehensive healthcare provision;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas SRHR is a primary condition for gender equality; whereas it is their body, their choice, and full autonomy should be guaranteed;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
D c. whereas sexual and reproductive health and rights are targets for UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, and whereas gender-based violence and harmful practices are targets for SDG 5;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas SRHR challenges and obstacles include: a lack of access, denial of medical care based on personal beliefs, gender-based violence, gynaecological and obstetric violence, a lack of comprehensive sexuality education, denial of access to information/education, a lack of available contraception methods, limited access to medically assisted reproduction treatments, forced sterilisation, including in the context of legal gender recognition, high rates of STIs and HIV, disparities in maternal mortality, high adolescent pregnancy rates, harmful gender stereotypes and practices such as female and intersex genital mutilation, early, forced and child marriages and honour killings; , honour killings and so-called “conversion therapy” practices, which can take the form of sexual violence such as “corrective rape” on lesbian and bisexual women and girls, as well as transgender persons; whereas the enjoyment of SRHR for LGBTI persons may be severely hindered due to the omission in sexual education curricula of the diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and sex characteristics;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
F b. whereas in certain circumstances transgender men and non-binary persons may also undergo pregnancy and should, in such cases, benefit from measures for pregnancy and birth-related care without discrimination on the basis of their gender identity;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the essential package of SRH measures includes: comprehensive and evidence-based sexuality education; information and counselling on modern contraceptiveson; antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care; midwifery; obstetric and new-born care; safe and legal abortion services; the prevention, detection and treatment of HIV and other STIs; services aimed at detecting, preventing and treating sexual and gender-based violence; prevention, detection and treatment for reproductive cancers; and fertility services;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas comprehensive sexuality education facilitates informed reproductive choices, evidence- based, non-discriminatory and age- appropriate sexuality education based on international standards facilitates informed reproductive choices and contributes to achieving gender equality;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
J a. whereas several Member States are attempting to limit access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through highly-restrictive laws which lead to gender discrimination and negative consequences for women’s health;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas no woman should die in childbirth and evidence-based maternity, pregnancy and birth-related care is a human right;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
L a. whereas the most vulnerable and marginalised people face additional barriers, discrimination and violence in accessing healthcare, including people belonging to ethnic or religious minorities, Roma people, people coming from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, people without health insurance, people living in rural areas, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ people, victims of violence, etc.;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)
Recital N a (new)
N a. whereas the COVID-19 crisis has had a disproportionate impact on timely access to essential healthcare services including those related to sexual reproductive health and rights; whereas the unavailability of doctors and the subsequent possible discontinuation of pregnancy termination services and of contraceptive prescriptions due to containment measures has had severe implications for women’s fundamental right to bodily autonomy;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N b (new)
Recital N b (new)
N b. whereas the European Parliament has addressed sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in its newly adopted position at first reading on the Programme for the Union's action in the field of health for the period 2021-2027 (“EU4Health Programme”) to ensure timely access to goods that are needed for the safe provision of SRHR (e.g medicines, contraceptives and medical equipment);
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls upon the EU, its bodies and agencies to support and promote universal access to SRHR services and calls upon the Member States to ensure access to a full range of high-quality, comprehensive and affordable SRHR, and to remove all barriers impeding full access to SRHR;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity and in line with national competences, calls upon the Member States to safeguard the right of all persons to make their own informed choices with regard to SRHR, regardless of age, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender, class and/or migration status, to make their own informed choices with regard to SRHR and to ensure the right of bodily integrity and personal autonomy, equality and non- discrimination;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls upon the Member States to address the challenges in accessing or exercising SRHR using an intersectional approach and ensure that no person is left behind by being unable to exercise their right to health;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Recalls the views endorsed by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which recommended trans- specific healthcare such as hormonal treatment and surgery to be accessible and reimbursed by public health insurance schemes;1a _________________ 1aCDDH Report on the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, ¶130, accessible at https://search.coe.int/cm/Pages/result_det ails.aspx?ObjectId=09000016809f9ba0
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that stereotypes and taboo surrounding menstruation remain widespread in our societies, and that these can delay diagnosis of diseases such as the endometriosis disease, which despite affecting 1 women on 10 of reproductive age, being the first cause of women's infertility, causing chronic pelvic pain, has a median delay of 8 years for its diagnosis and for which there is no cure ; Calls on Member states to ensure comprehensive and scientifically accurate education about menstruation, to raise awareness and to launch major information campaigns on endometriosis targeting the public, healthcare professionals and legislators, and to invest on research about the causes and treatments of this disease;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Reminds that sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) constitute an essential element of comprehensive healthcare provision and a universal, legal, safe and barrier-free access to high-quality and affordable healthcare services has to be provided to all persons, with special consideration to the most vulnerable and marginalised people, including people belonging to ethnic or religious minorities, Roma people, people coming from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, people without health insurance, people living in rural areas, persons with disabilities, LGBTIQ people, victims of violence, etc.;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Urges the Commission to make full use of its competence in Health policy and to support Member States in guaranteeing universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights SRHR in the framework of the Programme for the Union's action in the field of health for the period 2021-2027 (“EU4Health Programme”);
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls that all medical interventions related to SRHR must be undertaken with prior, personal and fully informed consent;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reaffirms its call on Member States to adopt legislation ensuring that intersex persons are not subjected to non- vital medical or surgical treatment during infancy or childhood, and that their right to bodily integrity, autonomy, self- determination and informed consent is fully respected;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls upon the Member States to provide all necessary rehabilitation services and support mechanisms, including requisite mental and physical health care, to all women who face, or have faced in the past, violations of their SRHR;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Recalls that the provision of comprehensive sexuality education is one of the main instruments for achieving the commitments on the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25), namely zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, zero gender-based violence and harmful practices against women, girls and youth;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Recalls that the imparting of information should reflect the diversity of sexual orientations, gender identities, expressions and sex characteristics, so as to counter misinformation based on stereotypes or biases; calls on Member States to develop age-appropriate sexual education curricula inclusive of the former;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Condemns any backlash against sexuality education and any attempt to misinform, stigmatise or ban sexuality education;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls upon the Member States to establish awareness-raising programmes and campaigns, including comprehensive targeted information on modern contraceptive choice and the full range of contraceptives, and to provide high- quality modern contraceptive service delivery and counselling by healthcare professionals, including emergency contraception without prescription, which is often denied by doctors on the grounds of personal beliefs;
Amendment 397 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Member States to decriminalise and regulate obstacles to legal abortion and recalls that they have a responsibility to ensure that women have access to the rights afforded to them by law;
Amendment 405 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Invites the Member States to review their national legal provisions on abortion and bring them in line with international human rights standards and regional best practices by ensuring that abortion at a woman’s and any pregnant person's request is legal in early pregnancy and even beyond if the woman’sir health or life is in danger;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Underlines that all the rights afforded to women by law regarding abortion care must apply to all persons undergoing pregnancy, including transgender and non-binary persons, without discrimination on grounds of their gender identity or gender expression and in line with international human rights practices;
Amendment 410 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading d
Subheading d
Maternity, pregnancy and birth-related care for all
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls upon the Member States to adopt measures to ensure that all women and pregnant persons have access to affordable, evidence-based maternity, pregnancy and birth-related care;
Amendment 430 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on Members States to tackle infertility and subfertility as public health issues affecting both women and men, by ensuring responsiveness of reproductive healthcare services to the shifting needs of women, couples and families, taking a rights-based, inclusive and non- discriminatory approach, in particular by making medically assisted procreation, in accordance with appropriate ethical guidelines and medical standards, widely available, affordable and accessible in Europe;
Amendment 431 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls upon the Member States to ensure that maternity, pregnancy and birth-related care must be equally accessible to all persons undergoing pregnancy without discrimination of any kind, notably on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity;
Amendment 460 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls upon the Member States to regularly exchange best practices and commit to an upward convergence and harmonisation of women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); calls on the Council to establish a configuration on Gender Equality gathering Ministers and Secretaries of State in charge of Gender Equality in one dedicated forum in order to deliver common and concrete measures to address the challenges in the field of women’s rights and gender equality, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and ensure that gender equality issues are discussed at the highest political level;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Calls upon the Member States to make access to SRH services an integral part of their COVID-19 responses and ensure the continuing of provision of a full range of SRH services in all circumstances;
Amendment 466 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Calls upon the Member States to implement effective regulatory and enforcement measures that ensure that refusal of SRH care by health workers on grounds of religion or conscience does not put women's timely access to SRH care at risk;
Amendment 484 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls upon the Commissioner for Equality to promote and protect SRHR and to include them in the next EU gender equality simplementation of the EU gender equality strategy and the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy;
Amendment 485 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls upon the Commissioner for Equality to promote and protect SRHR and to includethrough them in the nextmplementation of the EU gender equality strategy;
Amendment 491 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls upon the Commissioner for International Partnerships to uphold the European Consensus on Development and the SDGs, in particular targets 3.7 and 5.6, to ensure that SRHR remain a development priority in all EU external activities; welcomes the commitment in promoting SRHR in the new Gender Action Plan III and calls upon the Commissioner for International Partnerships to propose concrete measures to fulfil this objective;
Amendment 497 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls upon the Commission to strengthen its actions to counter the backlash against women’s rights and provide political and financial support to human rights defenders, civil society organisations and health care providers working to advance SRHR, particularly those working in challenging contexts in Europe, including in EU Member States;
Amendment 498 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls upon the Commission to streongthen its actions to counterly condemn the backlash against women’s rights, make full use of its competence and strengthen its actions to counter it;
Amendment 500 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls upon the Commission to strengthen its actions to counter the backlash against women’s rights and SRHR;