Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer leads Maltese activists in pro-abortion protest in Brussels

On Wednesday Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer led several pro-abortion NGOs in the streets of Brussels, advocating for safe and legal abortion.

The NGOs, mainly MGRM, Women’s Rights Foundation and Moviment Graffiti, gave speeches in front of the Embassy for Malta in the Belgian capital city.

Just last July, Parliament approved a bill to change laws to allow abortions to take place in cases where the prospective mother’s life is at risk.

The amended bill introduced amendments to clarify that a pregnancy termination may only be considered when the mother’s life is at risk, when all other medical practices have been exhausted, and when the pregnancy itself is not viable.

Giving a short speech, Engerer said that the European Parliament stands with women and minorities who can get pregnant, and advocates for the availability of safe and legal abortion. He said that the NGOs present at the manifestation are pushing for abortion to be considered as a fundamental human right.

He also said that within the European Parliament there were also discussions to consider the lack of safe and legal abortion within an

EU country as violence against the person wanting to do an abortion. The MEP said that although he was advised that he would be committing political suicide by speaking about these things, “it is not a problem, as in the end we are not equal until we reach equality amongst us”.

Also present was Women’s Rights Foundation Vice President Andrea Dibben, who said that although abortion is still not legal in Malta, minority organisations have had many successes, such as increasing the number of people involved in pressuring the government to introduce abortion in the country.

Also present was Labour MP Randolph Debattista.