Women in Romania have had the legal right to an abortion since 1990. But many women seeking care find themselves in a Kafkaesque trap. Bianca, a young Romanian, ended up obtaining abortion pills without a prescription, and she took them without medical supervision. Work done by investigative reporter Lina Vdovîi in Bucharest illustrates how politicians and priests — and even doctors — seek to shut down a woman's right to choose. The situation is not unique to Romania; women in Croatia and Italy face similar obstacles. The world increasingly looks to Europeans for leadership in civil rights and gender equality. So how can this still be happening? A key issue is that maternal healthcare and abortion are not explicitly referenced in European treaties, explains Irina Trichkovska of law firm White & Case. She says this “sadly causes significant disparities in the treatment of women across the EU." Visit our website for episode art and more EU Scream. “Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125” by Papalin is licensed under CC by 3.0. “Airside No. 9” is played by Lara Natale.

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