Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, approximately 5.7 million Ukrainians – most of whom are women and children – have fled the country,However, while the country has provided safety to millions of refugees,
As it stands, groups such as the Polish reproductive rights organisation the Federation For Women And Family Planning and Abortion Without Borders are providing support to women who want to have an abortion for any reason – but many refugees are still falling through the cracks. “There is a bit of shock expressed that they’re escaping Ukraine where abortion is legal and winding up in Poland where abortion is illegal,” Mara Clarke, founder of the Abortion Support Network, part of Abortion Without Borders, told“We already have established pathways for people to access abortions so either we help people access abortions with pills, which is what the World Health Organisation says is the most safe abortion up to 12 weeks, and we’ve put the instructions on how to take the...
“In terms of access to abortion, we’ve already heard from one person who was staying in a facility [refugee centre] and the post was searched, so you can’t get that person pills through the post, you have to physically hand them the pills,” she said.