[Cmi-mulheres] women on waves - infos

[Isadora]

repassando...

Isa.

hi all,

since the last week of August Women on Waves 
(http://www.womenonwaves.org)
set sail again, this time to Portugal. probably some of you heard about 
the
latest controversies (the ship, Borndiep, is not allowed into 
Portuguese
waters). latest press release below. best, s.


Women on Waves, founded in 1999, aims to prevent unwanted pregnancy and
illegal unsafe abortions. Every 6 minutes somewhere on the world a 
woman
dies needlessly as a result of illegal, unsafe abortion. In response to
this violation of women’s human rights and medical need, Women on Waves
operates a mobile clinic on a ship that sails to countries where 
abortion
is illegal. This is done at the invitation of local women's 
organizations.
With the use of a ship, early medical abortions can be provided safely,
professionally and legally. In countries where abortion is illegal, the
local laws only apply within territorial waters; outside this 12-mile 
zone
Dutch law applies on board a Dutch ship. In 2002 the Dutch Minister of
Health confirmed in writing that Women on Waves can safely and legally
provide the abortion pill to women with early unwanted pregnancies
(‘overtijdbehandeling’) on board the ship. 

Women on Waves already sailed to Ireland (2001) and Poland (2003). 

03/09/2004

Portugal refuses safe harbour

In the morning of Friday September 3 the captain of the ship Borndiep 
of
Women on Waves, informed a shipping agency of the harbour in Figueira 
da
Foz, Portugal, that the ship needed to bunker gasoline and fresh water.
After no answer was received at 18.00 hours Women on Waves decided the
Borndiep had to go to Spain, like 10.000 Portuguese women do every year 
to
get the services they need. Late at night the Borndiep received the
notification that even only bunkering gasoline and water was refused 
and
that Portugal refused a safe harbour for the Borndiep. Women on Waves
states once again that this is a severe violation of the national and
international regulations and agreements of free passage an entry of
harbours. The Borndiep will return to the Portuguese borders near 
Figueira
da Foz as soon as possible.

On Thursday September 2, minister Bot, minister of foreign affairs of 
the
Netherlands spoke with the minister of foreign affairs of Portugal, 
António
Monteiro, to inform him that the majority of the Dutch Parliament asked 
for
freedom of passage of the Borndiep to the harbour of Fiqueira da Foz. 
Women
on Waves is still waiting for an official reaction from the Portuguese
Government. 

Today, Saturday September 4, two Dutch parliamentarians, L.van der Laan
(D´66) and K. Arib (PVDA) especially come to Portugal to attend a 
political
workshop in Lisbon on Saturday at 21.00 hours at Casa Amarela in 
Lisbon.
All Portuguese parties are invited to the workshop. The Dutch
parliamentarians will also pay a visit to the ship on Sunday September 
4.
Sunday afternoon at 16.30 hours, a work shop for Portuguese artists 
will
take place in the Escola Nautica in the harbour of Fiqueira da Foz. 

Desperate Portuguese women keep calling the help number of Women on 
Waves
every day. Women on Waves tries to help them in any way they can.

For further information:
www.womenonwaves
00 351 914477770