Thousands rallied for trans people’s rights in the UK

PORTUGAL — Portugal enacted a law punishing obstetric violence, including unjustified practices such as cutting of vaginal tissues – episiotomy – or pressure on the uterus – Kristeller’s manoeuvre – to accelerate childbirth. The law 33/2025, published in the Diário da República in April, recognises for the first time violence against pregnant women, including dehumanising treatment or lack of consent. It also incorporates an article to include obstetric violence in sex education and in curricular content for health professionals. According to a study published in The Lancet, one in five Portuguese women had an episiotomy, while the European average is half that (10%).

UK — Thousands of people took to the streets in several British cities to protest after the Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by its “biological sex” or sex assigned at birth. “Trans women are real women” and “trans rights are human rights” were some of the signs held by protesters in London’s Parliament Square on Saturday, April 19. The Supreme Court’s decision means that trans women and non-binary people will no longer be protected against discrimination the 2010 Equality Act, although the consequences could go further. For instance, the British Transport Police have already announced that trans women held in custody will now be strip-searched by male officers instead. From June 1, trans women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England. The announcement was made by the English Football Association (FA). The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also announced that transgender women will be excluded from their sport.

POLAND — Councillors in the county of Łańcut, in southeast Poland, repealed on April 24 the last “charter of family rights” still in force in the country, meaning that the last “LGBT-free zone” has been officially abolished. Between 2019 and 2020, 100 towns in Poland adopted anti-LGBT+ resolutions -a third of the country. Despite not directly referencing LGBTQ community, the majority of them created “LGBT-free zones” to “prevent gender ideology”, banning pride marches and restricting freedom of expression. The decision to repeal the “charter of family rights” was taken following the threat that the counties would no longer receive funds from the European Union. In Łańcut, for example, the only medical facility is supported by EU funds.

ITALY — The Italian Court of Cassation has reinstated the possibility of using “parents” instead of the wording « father and
mother » on children’s electronic identity cards, protecting families with same-sex parents and reversing a decree issued by former far-right prime minister Matteo Salvini which was judged « unreasonable and discriminatory ». “The wording provided by the ministerial models and imposed by the decree was not representative of all the legitimate conformations of family units and undermined the minor’s right to obtain an identity card representative of his or her particular family situation,” the ruling reads. In Italy, same-sex civil unions were legalised in 2016, but adoption rights for gay or lesbian couples are not granted. In March 2023, far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni ordered city councils to stop registering the births of children with same-sex parents.

LITHUANIA — Lithuania’s Constitutional Court ruled on April 17 that the article 3.229 of the civil code is unconstitutional because it defines a partnership as a union between a man and a woman, excluding same-sex relationships. « A legal framework based on prejudice against, inter alia, same-sex couples would be incompatible with the Constitution, including the concept of the family derived from it, respect for human rights and dignity, as well as the values of equality, pluralism and tolerance inherent in a democratic society, » the court said. The court said that the parliament must adopt a law recognising civil partnerships for same-sex couples. Meanwhile, couples in Lithuania will be able to register gender-neutral partnerships by turning to the courts.

DENMARK — With 74 in favour and 29 against, Denmark’s parliament on April 24 passed a bill to extend the legal limit for abortion from 12 to 18 weeks. The proposal was introduced by the government, with the support of four left-wing and centre-left parties. It was also agreed that the five regional abortion bodies would be replaced with a new national abortion board. This is the first time Denmark is easing its 1973 abortion law. The new legislation will come into force on June 1, making  the country one of the countries allowing the latest abortions in the European Union alongside Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.

ROMANIA — Girls and women in Romania are experiencing a significant rollback of their sexual and reproductive rights, including the right to abortion and access to contraception and family planning methods. Those living in rural areas, or with limited economic means, face even greater barriers. According to Human Rights Watch, Romanian authorities are facilitating the work of anti-abortion activists and so-called crisis pregnancy centers that seek to dissuade or prevent women and girls from accessing abortion. The report, based on 64 interviews with affected women, health professionals and activists, found that a growing number of doctors and public hospitals no longer perform abortions on request, despite the fact that they are legal up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. There are also cases in which doctors refuse to provide sexual health services and information to 16-year-olds, even though they can legally access sexual and reproductive health care without parental consent at that age.

FRANCE — The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in April that France has failed to protect three rape survivors, who were 13, 14, and 16 years old when they suffered sexual violence. According to the court, investigators and national courts did not sufficiently take into account the young age of the survivors, which increased their vulnerability during the criminal proceedings, especially when confronting the aggressors. The sentencing comes just months after the high-profile trial of Dominique Pelicot, who was found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and inviting dozens of other men to rape her while she was sedated.

AFGHANISTAN — The United Nations mission denounced that the Taliban are intensifying their restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan. While women are still denied their right to work and education, or to access services without a male relative, there are reports of public floggings and shrinking civic space. Officials have reportedly shut down beauty salons run by women in their homes and women’s radio stations in various provinces, the mission said. In the province of Kandahar, some women were denounced by shopkeepers for not being accompanied by a guardian. At one hospital, it was reported that authorities ordered staff not to provide care to unaccompanied female patients. According to the UN mission, more than 180 people, including women and girls, have been flogged for the offences of adultery and practicing homosexuality since the start of the year, in public venues attended by Taliban officials.

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