New CRR Report Shows Slovakia Lags Behind in Access to Contraception

(PRESS RELEASE) Today, the Center for
Reproductive Rights, and Slovak human rights groups, Freedom of Choice Slovakia
and Citizen, Democracy and Accountability released a sobering report that
critically examined the numerous barriers Slovak women face in accessing safe,
quality and affordable contraceptives and credible contraceptive information.

Through in-depth personal interviews and fact-finding
research Calculated Injustice: The Slovak Republic’s failure to ensure
access to contraceptives found that Slovak women are experiencing alarming
reproductive rights violations, and that the Slovak government is guilty of
human rights breaches as it continues to sidestep reproductive healthcare for
women. The report calls on the state to immediately address the two primary
problems around contraception, namely, lack of affordability and absence of
reliable modern contraceptive information.

“Slovakia is operating in the dark ages when it comes to
making common contraceptive methods accessible. The government has abandoned
its responsibility to women and girls by fostering an environment in which the
price of contraceptives remains high and in which misinformation flourishes,”
said Christina Zampas, senior regional manager for Europe at the Center
for Reproductive Rights.

Most of the twenty-seven EU member states cover
contraception in their public health insurance schemes.  Though domestic
legislation mandates that the Slovak government provide women with access to
prescribed contraceptives for free, the report found that these requirements
have been ignored. Contraceptives also fall outside the state’s price
regulation system, which allows drug companies to keep prices high.
 International human rights law also requires that states provide women
with access to a full range of reproductive healthcare services, including
contraceptives and providing sufficient and appropriate information on those
methods.

“The recent financial crisis has worsened women’s
reproductive healthcare on a global scale with many states slashing budgets for
women’s health services. Low-income and marginalized women are especially at
risk as they have limited resources to cover reproductive healthcare costs,”
Zampas added. “Due to the Slovak government’s negligence women have no choice
but to play a game of chance when it comes to contraception. Some are making so
little money – it’s a choice between survival, including feeding her family,
and buying contraception.”

Misinformation and myths around contraception are
widespread and further worsen the problem. Comprehensive reproductive
counseling from doctors is rare, and sexuality education in schools is grossly
inadequate and in some cases, completely absent.  The numerous information
barriers foster a culture of fear around contraceptives, with some women
refusing to take hormonal contraceptives because of exaggerated fears of side
effects and some even believing that contraception may cause madness and breast
cancer. 

Adriana Lamackova, legal adviser for Europe for the Center
for Reproductive Rights noted, “The lack of a practical and comprehensive
sexuality education program in public schools is influencing Slovak girls to
make harmful and poor reproductive health decisions.  The case of a
15-year-old student who was surprised after becoming pregnant because she
thought bleaching her hair was a reliable form of birth control shows that more
needs to be done to educate women and girls about safe and reliable
contraceptives.”

As part of their recommendations, the Center and its
partners, Freedom of Choice Slovakia and Citizen, Democracy and Accountability
are calling for immediate action from the Slovak government to improve family
planning policies and contraceptive access through comprehensive and
evidence-based sexuality education in schools and an expansion of public health
insurance to cover contraceptives. To combat the culture of misinformation
around contraceptives, the Center and its partners also demand that
reproductive health information should be given in a systematic way from
trained healthcare professionals and counselors.

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CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the law to advance
reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are
legally obligated to protect, respect and fulfill.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE SLOVAKIA
Freedom of Choice Slovakia is a feminist nongovernmental
organization that seeks to contribute to creating a society in which
individuals have a real “freedom of choice” without restrictions
determined bu gender stereotypes, and in which gender equality, diversity and
justice are key social values.

CITIZEN, DEMOCRACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Citizen, Democracy and Accountability is an
independent civic association that promotes the values of open society based on
civic responsibility and the accountability of public authorities. One of CDA’s
primary aims is to assert everyone’s rights to human dignity and to protection
from discrimination, as well as to assert the human rights of women.