Pregnancy-ending pills will fall from the sky this weekend in one Polish town.
A drone laden with abortion pills is set to make a special delivery in an attempt to help Polish women safely terminate their pregnancies.
On Saturday, not-for-profit organisation Women on Waves will use the unmanned aircraft to drop packages of the pills over a Polish town on the border of Germany (where abortion is legal), The Telegraph reports.
Women’s groups will then distribute the pills, which can be taken up to nine weeks into pregnancy and have the same physical impact as a miscarriage, to women who need them.
In Poland, restrictive abortion laws mean a woman can only legally terminate her pregnancy where there is a serious health threat, in rape and incest cases, or where the foetus is seriously damaged.
Related: “I know my abortion was the right choice.”
But the country has around 50,000 underground abortions per year and thousands of women fly to England for abortions.
Rebecca Gomperts, founder of the Dutch-based organisation that posts medical abortion pills round the world, said the ‘abortion drone’ will help women and raise awareness about the inconsistency of abortion laws around Europe.
While abortions are available on request in most countries, they are heavily restricted in Poland and Ireland and banned altogether in Malta and Andorra.
Though it will be illegal for Polish women to take the abortion pills, there is no punishment set out, though doctors who perform illegal abortions face jail time.
Ms Gomperts said the ‘abortion drone’ is believed to be legal.
“There are no regulations or laws that prevent us from doing this or any that say it would be illegal,” she said.
“It’s the first time we’re doing something like this, so we don’t know what the Government’s going to do. We’re just going to see what happens.”
She said the drone could also be implemented in Ireland.
“I think it’s extremely important because within Europe there’s so much inequality and difference in how women’s rights are being respected,” she said.
“We can’t stop pointing out the lack of safe access to abortion and medical abortion pills. It’s a violation of women’s rights. We have to make every effort to make sure they get that access.”
For more on abortion, try these articles:
Melbourne abortion clinic takes pro-lifers to the Supreme Court.
The country that just legalised gay marriage still don’t allow women to have abortions.
She’s 10 years old and pregnant. And she’s being denied an abortion.
We need more women like Jemima Kirke to talk openly about abortion.
Top Comments
I'm done, I don't want to live in this sad pathetic world anymore.
Are there any risks to the woman if she takes these pills yet is further than 9 weeks into pregnancy? I'm sure if she is desperate to terminate then she would dismiss the 9 week recommendation..