Pro-choice activists hold abortion rally in Valletta: ‘If this is not the time for action, when will it be?’

Pro-choice activists gathered in Valletta on Saturday in an appeal to the government to take concrete steps to improve the current restrictive abortion laws

People rallied in Valletta’s main street, marking the 5th anniversary of the Voice for Choice coalition, which was established in 2019 which has since built support structures over the past five years, uniting doctors, lawyers, students, politicians, and everyday citizens under one goal: to decriminalize abortion and remove the stigma associated with it. 

Christine Cassar, a spokesperson in the Voice for Choice coalition, addressed the crowd, reflecting on the progress made in five years, "Today when you start a conversation about abortion, you should not assume that everyone will rise up against you,” she noted, pointing out that the stigma surrounding the term has diminished. 

She expressed gratitude for the growing number of supporters who believe in women's autonomy and health, stating, “Those people with us are always increasing.”

Last year, a woman was prosecuted after her abusive partner reported her for having an abortion. This year, at least two women faced investigations initiated by professionals who were supposed to provide support. 

At the rally, fliers were given out with information about abortion support services available for people in Malta, warning women to be careful about talking of their abortion with professionals and services apart from the ones on the leaflet as women are being reported and investigated by the police. 

They pointed out that the only services guaranteed not to report women are the Family Planning Advisory Services (FPAS), the Doula Support Services, Women on Web, Women Help Women, and the Abortion Support Network.

Speeches were also delivered by: Dutch physician and women’s rights activist Rebecca Gomperts, who is the founder of Women on Web and Women on Waves; Irish LGBTIQ+, socialist, and feminist activist Ailbhe Smyth, who co-directed the Irish campaign that won the right to abortion in 2018; and the Czech-based collective Ciocia Czesia, who help Polish residents access abortions.

Doctors for Choice presented photos of 65 women, trans men and non-binary individuals who are either Maltese or who have spent years living in Malta with a third of them having had an abortion. 

Cassar concluded by addressing the ongoing struggles faced by women in Malta who have sought abortions. She recalled recent cases where women were reported by professionals meant to assist them and reiterated the need for action. “If this is not the time for action, then when will it be?!” she stated, calling for immediate change.