Press release from ARDI co-president Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana
UKRAINE: GREENS/EFA REQUIRE PROTECTION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN CASES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Members of the European Parliament voted on Thursday, May 5, 2022 in Strasbourg to support women and girls who are victims of the war in Ukraine. According to intelligence reports, the Russian army is increasingly using rape, sexual harassment and torture as weapons of war against civilians in Ukraine. 90% of Ukrainian refugees are women and girls.
Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Greens/EFA substitute member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and shadow rapporteur of the resolution, commented:
“We deeply condemn gender-based violence and rape as a weapon of war. The EU must provide women and girls who have fled Ukraine with full support and access to all sexual and reproductive health services and rights. The EU must address the many cases of trafficking in women, gender-based violence and other forms of discrimination, particularly against Black and/ or of African descent, Roma, Asian and Arab women and girls, at its borders. We demand that the border countries of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia guarantee contraceptive and abortion services to support women and girls.”