Dutch Parliament wants fewer abortions

In the coalition agreement, the Members of Parliament explicitly mentioned the decrease in abortion as a goal. However, there will be no extra money from the new state budget to achieve this. The previous Parliament reserved 8 million for the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. This amount will remain the same.

Half of the 8 million euros will go to preventive measures. Access to anticonception is part of that. Therefore, the Parliament wants to broaden the campaign “No pregnancy yet.” This action consists of a guideline for vulnerable women who want to postpone starting a family. In addition, abortion clinics should organise office hours to advise about methods of anti-conception, the action plan of the Parliament reads.

The Dutch politicians think that open and honest conversations on the topic of self-determination of the wish for children or the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and abortions are also essential. Taboos should be broken. To this end, a new campaign will be started in about a year.

About 2 million euros will be dedicated to information and support, for example, with choosing to either continue the pregnancy or terminate it. Also, a national network should be established to offer social and psychological help after an abortion.

More research is necessary, too, the Dutch Parliament decided. A new study will be started to determine under what circumstances women and men choose abortion or when they decide to carry their pregnancy to term. Insights into these situations can help determine the most effective measures to decrease the number of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies and thus lower the number of abortions.

Unwanted parenthood

However, pro-abortion organisations object to the new research. They fear that the study will violate the access to abortions and the right to self-determination of women. These actors, under whom several abortion physicians and Rutgers, the Dutch expert centre on sexuality, even attempted to remove the reduction of abortions from the policy list. One of their arguments was that it would lead to “unwanted parenthood with negative consequences for the child in question.” Yet, the Dutch Parliament holds onto the plan.