NGOs critical of Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations on emergency contraception

A number of NGOs have said that the Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations that the morning-after pill be made available only by prescription reflects weak governance and a half baked approach to human rights, social rights and public health.

Integra Foundation, The Critical Institute, Aditus foundation, Platform for Human Rights Organizations Malta, Gender Liberation, Malta Gay Rights Movement and Organisation for Friendship in Divesity have all endorsed a statement criticising the recommendation.

“The recommendations badly disguise what this committee actually wants, namely to retain the status quo, and to continue to treat women like infants who are incapable of making decisions about their bodies, their pregnancies and their lives,” a joint statement by the NGOs read.

They said that the Medicines Authority had stated from the outset that there were no legal, ethical or moral reasons not to license emergency contraception and that the morning-after pill should be available in pharmacies over the counter. The NGOs added that “this is the situation in nearly all countries in Europe and indeed in the world, and it is exactly what the EU, WHO and other international organisations recommend.”

The NGOs went on to state that recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee defy all logic for four main reasons. Firstly, in order for it to have the desired effect, emergency contraception needs to be taken as quickly as possible – a maximum of 72 hours after intercourse, depending on the pill. “Requiring a prescription is a waste of precious time in itself. In a country like Malta, where a number of doctors and pharmacists have expressed their objection to administering it, that prescription becomes a huge hurdle to obtaining this pill. Women cannot afford to waste their time going from one GP to another until they finally find someone who actually practices according to scientific evidence,” they said.

Secondly, the NGOs said that the recommendations punish and penalise the most vulnerable women in our society, namely victims of rape and incest, women forced into prostitution and teenagers. “A victim of rape who is scared of going to the police or to hospital will certainly not go to some moralising GP and recount her story. As a result of the above, in many cases, shaming women into rushing to doctors to request this pill will have the undesired effect of making them opt for an abortion abroad.”

The third point made by the NGOs was that making emergency contraception available upon prescription by potential ‘conscientious objectors’ was another step away from gender equality. “It puts women in a situation where they require the blessing of ‘a higher authority’ when making decisions about their bodies and their futures. Having a baby is no joking matter. It is a life-changing decision that women should have the right to make calmly and serenely. Pregnancy and motherhood should not be imposed on women as a result of an unwanted accident, violence or a mistake.”

Finally, the NGOs said that there is ample evidence that targeted awareness raising campaigns are the right tool for sexual education, and not restrictions, punishments and sermons.