Fullständigt förhandlingsreferat

Tisdagen den 17 oktober 2023 - Strasbourg

18. Situationen för ukrainska kvinnliga flyktingar, inbegripet tillgång till stöd avseende sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter (debatt)

  President. – The next item is the statements by the Council and the Commission on the Situation of Ukrainian women refugees, including access to SRHR support (2023/2907(RSP))

  Pascual Navarro Ríos, presidente en ejercicio del Consejo. – Señor presidente, señora comisaria, señorías, a finales de agosto de 2023, más de cuatro millones de ucranianos —de los que alrededor del 63 % eran mujeres— se estaban beneficiando de la protección temporal de la Unión Europea. Hablamos, pues, de dos millones y medio de personas. Es más, alrededor de un tercio son personas menores de dieciocho años.

Por lo tanto, en estos momentos, numerosas mujeres ucranianas que se han visto obligadas a abandonar su país para huir de la agresión a Ucrania se encuentran en territorio de la Unión Europea cuidando de niños pequeños, personas mayores o familiares enfermos, mientras sus maridos están en Ucrania.

Los Estados de la Unión Europea, en especial aquellos que han acogido a un gran número de refugiadas y refugiados ucranianos han realizado grandes esfuerzos para facilitar su inserción en el mercado laboral. Afrontar esta situación ha supuesto y sigue suponiendo un gran reto para las autoridades nacionales.

A escala nacional y local han surgido varias iniciativas que, con el apoyo de la Unión, están destinadas a abordar la situación concreta de las mujeres ucranianas, como son los servicios de atención a la infancia y los cuidados de larga duración que permiten a las mujeres entrar en el mercado laboral. En esta línea, la iniciativa Garantía Infantil Europea de la Unión es un magnífico ejemplo.

Además, la protección proporcionada a las refugiadas y los refugiados ucranianos en virtud de la Directiva de protección temporal incluye el acceso automático a la asistencia médica en los Estados miembros de la Unión. Este acceso incluye, por supuesto, los servicios relacionados con la salud y derechos sexuales y reproductivos prestados por los sistemas sanitarios nacionales.

Nuestro compromiso a largo plazo con Ucrania y la población ucraniana significa que los Estados miembros han actuado con rapidez no solo para acoger a las personas desplazadas de Ucrania, sino también para apoyarlas y protegerlas. Nuestro deber común consiste en asegurarnos de que quienes han acudido a la Unión en busca de protección se sientan como en casa.

  Helena Dalli, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, Minister, we are, of course, very concerned about reports that Russian armed forces use sexual violence, including rape against women and children, as a weapon of war in the context of the unprovoked and illegal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

We strongly condemn such atrocities. There must be no impunity for the war crimes committed. By standing up for women’s rights and gender equality, we are defending and upholding a core value of the EU and a cross-cutting priority in its policy-making, both in internal and external action.

The EU remains committed to promote global sexual and reproductive health and rights as an essential part of realising human rights. Our ambition is clearly set out in EU Gender Action Plan III and in the European Consensus on Development.

Following the outbreak of the war last year, the Commission has taken immediate action to provide urgent support to survivors of sexual violence in Ukraine. A contract of EUR 1.5 million with the United Nations Population Fund was signed for a countrywide 12-month intervention to provide emergency assistance to women and girls in Ukraine, including survivors of gender-based violence with access to sexual and reproductive health response services.

The EU is also working closely with Ukrainian authorities to guarantee the medical evacuation, when necessary, of women and girls, and to provide them with medical treatment. Moreover, the EU signed an agreement with the International Federation of the Red Cross to provide mental health and psychosocial support for Ukrainians, including in cases of-gender based violence.

We supported Eurojust and the European Judicial Training Network to help prosecute war crimes committed in Ukraine, including rape and sexual violence. Support is also provided to mobile justice teams that support the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

The EU furthermore supports the work of women’s NGOs serving as first responders to victims of conflict-related sexual violence, including to prevent burnout and provide psychological assistance to their staff.

Regarding the internal dimension, with the gender equality strategy we have committed to achieve a gender-equal Europe, where all women and girls are free from gender-based violence, sex discrimination and structural inequalities, and can lead and thrive.

Under the Temporary Protection Directive, Member States shall provide necessary medical or other assistance to persons who have special needs, including victims of rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence. This assistance must include at least emergency care and essential treatment of illness.

Member States are free to extend assistance and give the same coverage as to their nationals. But the coverage can differ among Member States, as according to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care.

So the Member States have the legislative powers to decide the extension of the national package of health benefits to their citizens. More broadly, when exercising their competences, Member States must respect fundamental rights, which bind them by virtue of their national constitutions and commitments under international law.

I recall that when Member States implement Union law, they must fully respect the provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including Article 7 of the Charter on respect for private life.

Within the sphere of its competence, the Commission is supporting civil society organisations working on gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health and rights under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme.

In particular, the Commission has launched a dedicated call to the networks with which it has signed partnership agreements to provide support to victims of gender-based violence in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Support to Ukrainian victims of conflict-related sexual violence is also a focus under the 2023 call for proposals under the Daphne Strand of the CERV.

We also support regular exchanges of good practices between Member States and stakeholders on gender equality and health, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence foresees specific support for women at an increased risk of violence, including women fleeing from armed conflict.

  Frances Fitzgerald, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner – thank you for all you’ve outlined there – since Russia’s outrageous and illegal invasion of Ukraine, millions of refugees have come to Europe. Currently, there are 4.1 million people benefiting with protection and rights under the Temporary Protection Directive. A huge percentage of these are women and children, as we have heard.

So many citizens, so many Member States are doing so much to help Ukrainians fleeing the war. We do need to acknowledge that. And there is huge support from the EU institutions. But of course we must be particularly conscious of the vulnerabilities that women face as they flee war, particularly when it comes to SRHR support. For Ukrainian women, access to contraception, prenatal care and safe childbirth services have been disrupted due to their displacement, and this is often forgotten.

Shamefully, in some Member States, Ukrainian women now face barriers in accessing adequate health care. In Poland, abortion is illegal or practically impossible to access, with cases of rape or risk to the mother's life not guaranteeing treatment. Yet so many Ukrainian women have been raped or have suffered sexual violence.

I would particularly call on the Spanish presidency to do everything possible to ensure that we have a very strong European directive on violence against women and gender based violence that includes rape and the issue of consent. Clearly there is work still to be done on this with the Member States. Something as basic as emergency contraception requires prescriptions from a doctor in Hungary and Poland – unacceptable.

The Temporary Protection Directive obliges access to medical care. The European Union has a responsibility to meet those needs, including for sexual and reproductive health care and empowering women with proper information and accurate information. We need to pool our expertise across the Union to deliver the kind of training to medical and healthcare staff, and how to identify and support women who are at risk of sexual exploitation through intervention at a very early stage, whether it’s at borders, customs, wherever is absolutely essential. We need to support the women seeking urgent health care and they must be treated with the dignity that they deserve. It is our responsibility to stand by Ukraine in every way.

  Heléne Fritzon, för S&D-gruppen. – Herr talman! Kommissionär Dalli! Sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa är en förutsättning för kvinnors hälsa och en rättighet som måste prioriteras även i kris och konflikt.

Med anledning av Rysslands anfallskrig mot Ukraina har tillgången till sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter begränsats. Det handlar om kliniker i Ukraina som tvingas stänga ner, men också om allvarliga begränsningar av SRHR i länder som kvinnor och flickor flyr till.

Låt mig vara tydlig: Rätten till sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa måste alltid respekteras. Tillgången till SRHR handlar om preventivmedel, mödravård, säkra förlossningar och abort. Det räddar liv och det lindrar lidande.

Det finns många viktiga frågor kopplade till situationen i Ukraina, men kvinnors situation och sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter är precis sådana frågor, och jag förväntar mig att både kommissionen och medlemsländerna agerar därefter.

  María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, en nombre del Grupo Renew. – Señor presidente, hoy se cumplen 601 días del inicio de la criminal guerra de Putin en Ucrania y la situación de los refugiados ucranianos no puede ser olvidada. En particular, la realidad que viven mujeres y niñas refugiadas.

Como sabemos, los desplazamientos incrementan los riesgos para ellas. Una de cada veintidós mujeres refugiadas ucranianas ha sido víctimas de acoso sexual, una de cada cincuenta de violencia física. Y los datos que tenemos sobre violencia sexual son tremendos.

Sabemos que no se están haciendo las cosas muy bien en la Unión Europea cuando estas mujeres refugiadas no tienen acceso a los servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva. En Ucrania, el aborto es legal. Si lo solicitan tienen derecho a ello durante las doce primeras semanas de embarazo. Pero la realidad es que muchas mujeres ucranianas no tienen acceso a estos servicios en Polonia, en Hungría, y tienen que volver al país en guerra para poder acceder a estos servicios.

Tenemos que hacer más, señora comisaria. Tenemos que hacer una revisión para una adecuada implementación del artículo 13, apartados 2 y 4, de la Directiva de protección temporal para una atención médica adecuada. Tenemos que revisar nuestras estrategias con los Estados miembros y, desde luego, tenemos que impedir que una mujer ucraniana que haya sido objeto de violencia sexual como arma de guerra se vea obligada a volver al campo de batalla para poder recibir asistencia.

  Alice Kuhnke, för Verts/ALE-gruppen. – Herr talman! Bortom Putins bomber, missiler och granatanfall pågår ett tyst krig. Det är våldet, övergreppen och våldtäkterna som ukrainska kvinnor och barn utsätts för. Det handlar inte om enstaka offer, det handlar om tiotusentals ukrainska kvinnor och barn. Många av dem befinner sig i EU-länder, däribland Polen, som förvägrat dem den medicinska hjälp de behöver.

Vi – EU – vi säger att vi vill hjälpa och göra allt vi kan för Ukraina, men sen hjälper vi inte dem som utsatts för sexuellt våld. Det är en skam för både EU-kommissionen och hela EU.

Tillgång till sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa är ukrainska kvinnors och flickors rättighet. Att se till att de får sina rättigheter tillgodosedda, det är EU:s skyldighet.

  Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, en nombre del Grupo ECR. – Señor presidente, señora comisaria, señorías, un conflicto bélico sacude los cimientos de cualquier sociedad. Ciudadanos que se ven expuestos a una crueldad cuyos límites, desgraciadamente, no dejan de sorprendernos; situaciones dramáticas contra la vida y la dignidad de la persona; mujeres expuestas a violencia sexual, a tener que huir con sus hijos dejando atrás sus vidas.

Claro que merecen todo nuestro apoyo y consideración, pero ¿creen que les ayudamos con este tipo de proclamas? Es una tremenda irresponsabilidad tratar con manipulación emocional asuntos de tal envergadura, porque así no se les hace frente. La respuesta de la Unión Europea debe obedecer a unos criterios morales que marquen límites infranqueables en nuestras relaciones internacionales.

No hacerlo, es decir, la ingenuidad y la falta de firmeza de la Comisión y de algunos diputados de esta Cámara, expone a esas personas —de hecho, nos expone a todos— a regímenes criminales que aprovechan la confusión para expandir su mal.

Recuperemos la brújula que nos orienta hacia la verdad, que entiende la vida como un bien que se debe custodiar.

  Christine Anderson, im Namen der ID-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident! Inmitten der Debatte über die Versorgung von Flüchtlingen und deren grundlegende Bedürfnisse identifiziert dieses Haus nicht etwa Nahrung, Kleidung und Unterbringung, sondern Abtreibung als eines der elementarsten Bedürfnisse überhaupt. Geht es Ihnen eigentlich noch ganz gut?

Es sei denn, Sie nehmen hier endlich mal einen Punkt in den Blick, den dieses Haus bisher geflissentlich ignoriert hat: Vor dem Ausbruch des Konflikts in der Ukraine war die Ukraine das Paradies des illegalen Kinderhandels. Paare aus der ganzen Welt, insbesondere der westlichen Demokratien, konnten Kinder über ukrainische Leihmütter bestellen, und zwar wesentlich günstiger als in ihren jeweiligen Heimatländern. Nach ukrainischem Recht hatte die Leihmutter keinerlei Rechte an dem von ihr ausgetragenen leiblichen Kind. Die Geburtsurkunde wies ausschließlich die zahlenden Besteller als Eltern aus. Juristische Auseinandersetzungen für den Fall, dass das bestellte Kind nicht den Vorstellungen entsprach, waren vorprogrammiert.

Sind das die europäischen Werte, von denen Sie hier unentwegt sprechen und zu deren Verteidigung Sie die europäischen Völker auf deren Kosten verpflichten? Aber was heißt das für die biologischen Mütter? Ganz einfach: Unter Applaus der EU werden diese Frauen Opfer Ihrer menschenverachtenden Abtreibungskampagne, unter welcher Sie die Frauen unter Ausnutzung ihrer finanziellen Not zu Gebärmaschinen degradieren und ausbeuten. Dieses Haus unterstützt damit systematischen Kinderhandel unter Missachtung der Würde dieser Kinder und der Würde und der Rechte ihrer Mütter. Ja, wenn die Linken „Slawa Ukrajini“ rufen, dann bedeutet das eben auch die Ausbeutung und Rechtlosstellung dieser ukrainischen Frauen. Dagegen müssten Sie vorgehen, aber das tun Sie nicht.

  Malin Björk, on behalf of the The Left Group. – Mr President, when Ukrainian people started to flee from Putin’s bombs and tanks, we activated the Temporary Protection Directive. We promised to receive and protect all the civilians that need to leave, and they left everything behind. But the reality is that women fleeing Putin’s bombs are being deprived of the very basic care that they are entitled to, sexual and reproductive care. And this has been highlighted by civil society organisations that need to carry out the job in their place, in the place of the states that fail women and they are at the receiving end. And some of them are here and watching this debate today. We are speaking about basic things like prenatal care, postnatal care, about giving birth in dignified conditions. It is about health care for victims of gender based violence, but not only. It’s about access to contraception, it’s also about access to abortion care. It is very basic in all women’s lives. And it also goes for Ukrainian refugee women. But women cannot afford it because it is too expensive. They cannot access it because there is no information, or they cannot access it because it’s forbidden or the law is against them. We cannot have a situation like this in Europe and at the receiving of Ukrainian refugees. It is actually a shameful situation. And I’m asking again, the Commission and the Council, what are you going to do about it? We just prolonged the Temporary Protection Directive and we did good to do so. But if this kind of care, sexual and reproductive health care, part of the essential treatment? If it is so, say it loud and tell it to the Member States that are today depriving and putting women in danger in our very Union.

  Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI). – Signor Presidente, signora Commissaria, onorevoli colleghi, le conseguenze umanitarie della brutalità di Putin vanno ben oltre i già inenarrabili crimini che sono stati commessi su tutto il territorio ucraino. Sono almeno 20 000 i bambini forzatamente deportati in Russia, mentre i rifugiati sono ben più di 6 milioni nella nostra Europa, fuggiti nella speranza di lasciarsi alle spalle la violenza. Purtroppo però per molti di loro l'incubo non è ancora finito.

Ciò che la ricerca "Not a single safe place" dell'Università di Birmingham ha riportato è terribile e non può che scuotere le nostre coscienze. Nelle testimonianze delle donne in fuga dal conflitto sono stati riportati episodi di violenze sessuali atroci, prima da parte delle truppe russe, accusate di aver abusato indiscriminatamente, senza alcuna pietà, di bambini di quattro anni come di anziane di settant'anni, poi da individui che si spacciano per volontari, approfittando del sistema di accoglienza per compiere i propri rivoltanti abusi. Non possiamo e non dobbiamo tollerarlo.

Il milione e mezzo di euro già stanziato non basta. Serve di più per supportare veramente le donne ucraine. Serve molto di più per dar loro le cure e il sostegno psicologico di cui hanno bisogno. Serve molto di più per dare concretamente seguito al meccanismo di supporto integrato, messo in piedi dal servizio degli strumenti di politica estera e ancora, per garantire una lotta senza quartiere all'impunità dei perpetratori di questi crimini inaccettabili.

L'Europa deve essere un luogo sicuro per i fratelli e le sorelle ucraini che fuggono dal conflitto, non un altro teatro di orrori e barbarie. È nostro dovere garantirlo.

  Angelika Winzig (PPE). – Herr Präsident, Frau Kommissarin, geschätzte Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Rund 4,1 Millionen Kriegsflüchtlinge aus der Ukraine haben in der Europäischen Union temporären Schutz erhalten. Zudem sind aber 5,1 Millionen Menschen innerhalb der Ukraine geflüchtet. Es ist wirklich unvorstellbar – 9 Millionen Menschen auf der Flucht.

Die Richtlinie für temporären Schutz sorgt dafür, dass Flüchtlinge Unterkunft – auch Zugang zu Bildung und Beschäftigung – in allen Mitgliedstaaten haben. Bei der medizinischen Versorgung, glaube ich, haben wir noch alle Aufholbedarf in allen Bereichen, im psychischen Bereich, aber auch im Bereich sexuelle und reproduktive Gesundheit. Wir müssen aber auch eines weiterdenken: Da der Großteil der Flüchtlinge Frauen mit Kindern sind, müssen wir strategische Optionen für mögliche Aufenthaltstitel nach dem Auslaufen der Richtlinie andenken. Wir benötigen eine koordinierte Lösung, um unterschiedliche nationale Alleingänge und einen europäischen Flickenteppich zu vermeiden. Im Rahmen der Verhandlungen zum Migrationspakt sollte dies auch Berücksichtigung finden, ansonsten steuern wir wieder auf ein dramatisches Kapitel in der Migrationskrise hin.

  Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D). – Señor presidente Angel, señora comisaria Dalli, Presidencia española, ustedes mismos han descrito la cuestión. A partir de la brutal guerra de agresión de Putin contra Ucrania, once millones de personas desplazadas han huido del conflicto y han entrado en territorio de la Unión Europea. El 90 % de estas personas son mujeres, niñas y niños en situación de gran vulnerabilidad.

Están protegidas por la Directiva de protección temporal, que significa libre circulación, elección de residencia y acceso a los servicios públicos que garantizan derechos fundamentales. Este Parlamento Europeo aprobó una resolución contundente en mayo de 2022 afirmando que entre esos derechos fundamentales están los derechos de salud sexual y reproductiva, incluida la obstetricia —la interrupción del embarazo no deseado de las mujeres ucranianas en cualquier territorio de la Unión.

Sucede que el 60 % de esas mujeres están en Polonia, Hungría o Eslovaquia. No por casualidad —son países fronterizos con la zona del conflicto, pero que no garantizan esa obstetricia e interrupción del embarazo y, particularmente, ni siquiera la atención necesaria en el embarazo, en el parto y en el posparto cuando finalmente el embarazo se consuma.

Por tanto, este Parlamento hace lo correcto llamando la atención de la opinión pública europea y de la ciudadanía a la que representa diciendo que es necesario garantizar los derechos de las mujeres en situación de vulnerabilidad en cualquier rincón de la Unión Europea con igualdad. Y, por supuesto, también es necesario garantizar los derechos de salud sexual y reproductiva.

  Barry Andrews (Renew). – Mr President, Commissioner, Presidency and colleagues, it is a year since the Russian invasion and, according to the OECD, 70% of adult Ukrainian refugees are women, and the war is having a very severe impact, as we know, on women and girls and marginalised populations, particularly in the area of SRHR.

The EU has promised to provide refugees from Ukraine with sanctuary and care. This isn’t the case, of course, in every Member State, where they face a range of pre-existing legal and policy barriers as well as cost barriers. In a 2023 report, the Center for Reproductive Rights found that many refugees feel they have no choice but to return to Ukraine temporarily if they require SRHR. Another concerning finding is that, because of the abortion ban in Poland, some Ukrainian women refugees are forced to seek abortion care outside of legal pathways.

Clearly, some of these barriers require action at Member State level. However, the Temporary Protection Directive specifies clear Member State obligations in respect of emergency and essential health care provision, and support for survivors of gender-based violence. There has been an outpouring of solidarity for Ukraine since the war began, but Ukrainian women require continued access to SRHR.

  Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, Commissioner, Council, the bar is on the floor, but somehow we are still reaching for it. I should not need to remind you about the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Last May, we here – 462 of us – voted in favour of a resolution strongly condemning sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war in Ukraine. Still, women refugees face extremely restrictive legal and political context for SRHR in our own European Member States. Human trafficking, sexual violence, exploitation, rape – women fleeing Ukraine face these horrors every day. And they will, as long as Ukrainians are forced out of their home, as long as Putin’s soldiers commit this horrendous war crimes.

Without action to renew reproductive healthcare commitments in all Member States, we will have broken our promise of safety and sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees. This means ensuring access to abortion and obstetric care and making sure refugees everywhere have access to menstrual products and contraception. Let us show them that we will not break our promise and finally meet the bare minimum standard of care.

  Eugenia Rodríguez Palop (The Left). – Señor presidente, señora comisaria, hay aquí dos hechos que están claros y son incontestables. Uno, la situación de las mujeres refugiadas procedentes de Ucrania es preocupante en lo que respecta a su salud y a sus derechos sexuales y reproductivos. Dos, la Unión Europea tiene margen de maniobra para abordar muchas de las barreras a las que se están enfrentando estas mujeres.

La lista de agravios es larga: incumplimiento del derecho a recibir atención médica en el marco de la Directiva de protección temporal, retrasos en el acceso a la atención sanitaria, atención deficiente con consecuencias directas para su salud y bienestar, cargas financieras, falta de acceso a la información en idiomas que sean comprensibles para ellas, racismo institucional y discriminación interseccional.

Toda una carrera de obstáculos para acceder a la anticoncepción, la atención prenatal y el aborto. Es intolerable que la única salida para estas mujeres sea la de volverse al mismo lugar del que vienen huyendo, la de verse abocadas a continuar con un embarazo no deseado o asumir una maternidad forzada.

¿De qué sirven nuestras Directivas? Actuemos de una vez y tomémonos en serio a nosotros mismos. Y, sobre todo, dejemos de jugar con la vida de la gente.

  Geoffroy Didier (PPE). – Monsieur le Président, l’actualité chasse l’actualité, et chaque nouvel événement tragique dans le monde, comme celui touchant Israël depuis le 7 octobre, constitue une occasion de plus pour Vladimir Poutine d’avancer ses pions.

En soutenant cyniquement le Hamas, le Président russe tente d’envenimer la situation au Proche-Orient pour mieux détourner notre regard de l’Ukraine. Au mieux imprudents ou au pire complices, certains dirigeants européens – notamment hongrois et slovaques – deviennent les tristes relais de la propagande russe: «Plus une seule arme pour l’Ukraine», à les entendre. Quelle folie!

Je le dis ici, solennellement, au Parlement européen: n’oublions pas l’Ukraine. Si nous commençons à tergiverser, à reculer ou à nous diviser sur notre soutien résolu, qu’il soit politique, logistique ou militaire, demain, c’est toute l’Europe qui le regrettera. Ce qui se joue, désormais à bas bruit, aux frontières orientales de l’Europe, va au-delà de la survie même de l’Ukraine et de son peuple: ce ne sont pas seulement nos valeurs, c’est aussi la sécurité de l’ensemble de notre continent.

L’histoire l’a souvent démontré: quand les regards se détournent, les monstres se déchaînent. N’oublions pas l’Ukraine. N’oublions pas l’Ukraine!

  Predrag Fred Matić (S&D). – Poštovani predsjedavajući, kao ratni veteran, prognanik i bivši zatočenik konclogora dobro znam što znači rat.

U situaciji kada morate bježati iz vlastite zemlje i dođete u zemlju za koju smatrate da ćete biti sigurni, suočit ćete se s nasiljem, silovanjima i ograničenim sustavom potpore i zdravstvene skrbi. Žene izbjeglice iz Ukrajine koje sada žive u Europskoj uniji vraćaju se u ratom razorenu domovinu kako bi mogle pristupiti zdravstvenoj skrbi i dobiti kontracepciju, obaviti prekid trudnoće i preglede reproduktivnog zdravlja, a neke su se u Ukrajinu vratile čak i kako bi rodile.

Stručnjakinje i kolegice na terenu stalno nas upozoravaju na ove strahote i na prepreke s kojima se Ukrajinke suočavaju. I svaki put odgovor je isti: kompetencije države članice. Ako danas vlade država članica, kao i Komisija i Vijeće, mogu mirno sjediti i slušati da se žene izbjeglice iz Ukrajine zbog nemogućnosti ostvarenja svojih temeljnih ljudskih prava vraćaju u ratno područje, razorene gradove i porušene bolnice i pritom ne učiniti ništa, onda se trebamo pitati kakav život nudimo u Europi. Kakvu potporu osiguravamo i što jamčimo najtežim žrtvama rata?

  Karen Melchior (Renew). – Hr. Formand! Fru kommissær! Ruslands aggressionskrig i Ukraine har mange uskyldige ofre. Vi kan ikke være bekendt at øge deres lidelser. Millioner af kvinder og børn er flygtet og bor i Polen, Slovakiet, Rumænien og Ungarn. Her får de ikke adgang til den nødvendige sundhedsbehandling, særligt i forhold til graviditet og fødsel. I visse lande, for eksempel Ungarn og Polen, er der decideret livsfarlig lovgivning. Vi kender alle navnene på de mange kvinder i Polen, som allerede er døde. De ukrainske kvinder møder i stedet for manglende muligheder og information, forhindringer og udskamning, og de får heller ikke den nødvendige behandling i tide. Medlemslandene burde sikre, at alle kvinder i Europa får den nødvendige sundhedsbehandling, men i hvert fald skal vi sikre de ukrainske kvinder, som er flygtet fra krig, får den. Og Kommissionen har kompetence til at sikre ukrainske flygtninge. De har ret til akut pleje og livsvigtig behandling. Det står sort på hvidt i det midlertidige beskyttelsesdirektiv. Ukrainske kvinder i Polen, Slovakiet, Rumænien og Ungarn kan dø som følge af vores svigt. Det er fuldstændig uhyrlige perspektiver i Europa i 2023. Det kan vi simpelt hen ikke være bekendt.

  Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, most refugees from Ukraine are women. Women to whom we promised immediate protection and access to rights and services in the EU. Yet, in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, the barriers to sexual and reproductive health care and gender-based violence support services forced them to live either without this support or to return to a war zone in order to get the help that they need. And this is exactly the opposite of what temporary protection is meant to achieve. More generally, access to medical care, social welfare, housing, labour markets and education is impeded in these and other Member States.

I urge the Commission to enforce the key rights of these refugees. Civil society and municipalities hosting Ukrainian refugees still struggle to access funding. The Commission must finally ensure proper EU funding to those actors that do the actual work on the ground.

The swift activation of temporary protection to refugees from Ukraine was a true sign of solidarity. We must live up to this spirit and to the obligations that come with it, and start thinking of their future protection, as the refugees deserve a long-term perspective also beyond March 2025. If and hopefully not, but if they are still forcefully displaced.

(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question)

  Karen Melchior (Renew), blue-card question. – Madam Strik, you were mentioning the obligations that we have towards the Ukrainian women. I think we have an obligation to all women in Europe to ensure that they get the necessary healthcare that they need, especially the Ukrainian women. How do you see that our Member States could ensure that everybody within the European Union gets the necessary life-saving healthcare that they need? What more could Member States do, because they are clearly not doing enough?

  Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), blue-card answer. – Thank you for this question. I refer to the Temporary Protection Directive that these Ukrainian refugees can invoke, these rights that they have. I think to start with, there should be sufficient capacity in the Member States, and the rules should be very clearly disseminated so that people know that they have these rights. And I think it is up to the Member States, first and foremost, to make sure that they offer this support.

But it is the Commission, as a guardian of the Treaty, that needs to monitor if these rules are complied with and otherwise intervene. Because until now, there is this solidarity platform, it is all behind the scenes that people discuss this – the Commission with the Member States. But this seems to be a quite persistent violation. And I think at that moment the Commission should start to act and enforce compliance.

  Seán Kelly (PPE). – A Uachtaráin, they say timing is everything, so here we go. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 5.5 million people have fled its borders – a staggering 90% of them women and children. The war continues to take a heavy toll on the lives of millions of women and girls: from increased risks of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, to the loss of crucial livelihoods and rising poverty levels. The large-scale destruction of infrastructure has also left services for survivors of violence, healthcare and other critical forms of support out of reach for many.

I am extremely concerned at the horrendous reports of women experiencing gender-based violence and rape in Ukraine. The plight of women and girls is, unfortunately, not unique to Ukraine. Since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan last year, they have effectively created a society ruled by gender segregation and discrimination, with women’s freedom of movement, freedom of thought and freedom of expression stripped away.

We are also witnessing an already dire and worsening humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. The terrorist organisation Hamas still has many hostages that are women and girls, but also there are 50 000 pregnant women in Gaza who are unable to obtain basic health services.

We, as the EU, need to recognise the plight of the vulnerable in Ukraine, in the Middle East and elsewhere, and do everything we can to help them.

  Carina Ohlsson (S&D). – Herr talman! Ryska soldater utrustas med Viagra. Kan det bli mer uppenbart att det är en militär strategi för att våldta ukrainska kvinnor?

I uppehållen mellan utegångsförbud och bombningar letar ukrainska kvinnor efter dagen efter-piller, istället för att leta efter första hjälpen-kit. För i krigszonen Ukraina är det nästintill omöjligt att få tag i preventivmedel, än mindre säker abort.

Nio av tio av de ukrainska flyktingar som i dag befinner sig i Polen och Ungern är kvinnor och barn. I Ungern finns flera abortrestriktioner reglerade i lag. I Polen är det närmast totalförbud, och där hoppas vi verkligen att det blir en förändring nu med en ny regering.

Kvinnorna kommer från ett krigsdrabbat land där möjligheterna till vård och stöd är minimala, för att sedan möta en fruktansvärd lagstiftning som än en gång vänder utsatta kvinnor ryggen. Rätten att skyddas mot sexuellt och könsbaserat våld och rätten till säker abort måste ingå i alla humanitära insatser som görs i Ukraina och grannländerna, dit framför allt kvinnor och barn flyr. Så är inte fallet i dag. Förändring bör ske.

  Lydie Massard (Verts/ALE). – Monsieur le Président, l’invasion russe a poussé des millions de personnes à chercher refuge en Europe, et parmi les pays membres de l’Union européenne, c’est la Pologne qui a ouvert ses portes au plus grand nombre de réfugiés.

Mais la Pologne est devenue un environnement particulièrement restrictif en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive. Des femmes, réfugiées en Pologne, en Hongrie, en Slovaquie, déjà fragilisées par un exil forcé, ont été contraintes de retourner temporairement en Ukraine pour accéder aux soins médicaux fondamentaux. Les conséquences en sont graves: anxiété, peur, difficultés financières, racisme institutionnel et soins de santé inadéquats, qui, une fois encore, touchent plus durement les femmes.

Ces femmes font face à des menaces sérieuses, au harcèlement, à l’intimidation… tout cela, dans un contexte où leurs droits sont négligés. Les victimes de violences sexistes se retrouvent sans services essentiels, tandis que les Roms et les réfugiés LGBTQI+ font face à une discrimination intersectionnelle. Nous ne pouvons pas rester indifférents à la détresse de ces femmes, qui supportent un poids plus lourd, et nous devons prendre des mesures pour les soutenir et garantir leur dignité, leur bien-être et leur vie.

  Maria Walsh (PPE). – Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, a report by the United Nations outlined that Russian forces have committed an array of war crimes, including torture, rape and other acts of sexual violence against Ukrainian civilians. And in the face of this extremism, this barbarism, millions of Ukrainian women and girls are forced to face the aftermath of this violence and make impossible decisions.

For refugees who have experienced this violence, a lack of health care, a removal of inclusive reproductive care, forces them to return to Ukraine and return to their war-torn country to access essential reproductive health care, including maternal health and abortion care – all of this because they cannot get access legally in all European countries.

These women are victims and survivors of violence, dealing with compounding trauma, health scares and concerns, mental health damages and supports – the slew of endless mental and physical health conditions, all without the basic services and support they deserve from us in the EU.

The provision of sexual reproductive health care saves women’s and girls’ lives, and we cannot leave anyone behind.

(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question)

Puhetta johti HEIDI HAUTALA
varapuhemies

  Karen Melchior (Renew), blue-card question. – Ms Walsh, you were explaining the horrific consequences that the lack of access to healthcare for Ukrainian women fleeing from war could have. For most of us, fortunately, this is an abstract idea. For many millions of women in Ireland, it was their daily risk, their daily lives. Could you perhaps elaborate a little bit more on the experience in Ireland of not having sufficient access to healthcare?

  Maria Walsh (PPE), blue-card answer. – Thank you very much, colleague, and thank you for giving me an opportunity to highlight, even within the EU, our EU citizens – again disproportionately affecting women – in my country of Ireland have been underserved at a national, local and an EU level in terms of access to sexual reproductive healthcare.

Many are still fleeing to the United Kingdom or further afield, many are not seeking and getting the support they need in their local GP or hospital. And unfortunately, we have a very darkened history of such. When you look at the clerical abuses and the institutional abuses of the Magdalene Laundries, of the mother and baby homes of other institutions where we’ve swept the support around sexual abuse, sexual violence, the requirement for abortions, and the decision by women to have a choice over their bodies further afield. So we know too well what many of these women are going through.

  Isabel Santos (S&D). – Senhora Presidente, a situação das mulheres refugiadas ucranianas tornou ainda mais visível a regressão dos direitos das mulheres a cuidados de saúde sexual e reprodutiva, incluindo o aborto, em diversos Estados—Membros, como é o caso da Polónia, da Hungria e da Roménia.

A negação da possibilidade de acesso a cuidados de saúde sexual e reprodutiva a mulheres que experienciaram - muitas delas no seu território, no seu país - a violência sexual, a violência de género e, muitas vezes, a violação é um tratamento desumano e absolutamente degradante, que não pode ser tolerado de forma nenhuma entre nós.

As mulheres e raparigas em fuga da guerra têm de ser protegidas em todas as dimensões da sua vida - no acesso à habitação, ao emprego, ao trabalho, à educação, mas também numa dimensão essencial da sua existência, que tem a ver com a saúde sexual e reprodutiva e o direito a um aborto em condições que protejam a sua vida.

A Comissão não pode encolher os ombros e deixar esta tarefa somente aos Estados—Membros. É necessário verificar que cumprem as suas obrigações.

  Leszek Miller (S&D). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Pani Komisarz! Koleżanki i koledzy! Inwazja Rosji na Ukrainę przyniosła niszczące skutki, prowadząc do licznych naruszeń prawa człowieka, w tym przestępstw ze względu na płeć i do przemocy seksualnej. W wyniku tego konfliktu 4 miliony Ukraińców, w tym głównie kobiety i dzieci, szukały schronienia w krajach Unii Europejskich takich jak Polska, Rumunia, Słowacja i Węgry. Chociaż społeczności lokalne i wolontariusze w tych krajach zareagowali z niezwykłą solidarnością, to jednak istnieją poważne obawy dotyczące dostępu uchodźczyń do opieki zdrowotnej w zakresie zdrowia seksualnego i reprodukcyjnego oraz wsparcia związanego z przemocą ze względu na płeć. Wieloletnie zaniedbania i restrykcyjne przepisy w niektórych z tych krajów, w tym niestety w mojej ojczyźnie Polsce, stanowią poważne przeszkody w dostępie do takiej opieki. Musimy zatem zwrócić uwagę na istniejące wyzwania i podjąć konkretne kroki w celu zapewnienia pełnego dostępu do opieki zdrowotnej i wsparcia dla uchodźców z Ukrainy.

  Helena Dalli, Member of the Commission. – Madam President, Minister, honourable Members, thank you for your interventions. The Commission, of course, is fully aware of the challenges faced by Ukrainian women refugees, and I personally had the opportunity during several missions in different Member States to meet Ukrainian women, refugees and civil society organisations working with them. And our main objective is to ensure migrant women are well informed about their rights, especially those who face language barriers.

With regards to temporary protection persons fleeing from Ukraine covered by the scope of the Council decision activating the Temporary Protection Directive of 4 March 2022 avail themselves of temporary protection in the Union, and they have the right to access medical care in accordance with the directive, which indicates that Member States shall provide necessary medical or other assistance to persons enjoying temporary protection who have special needs, including victims of rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence. Women or children who have been victims of sexual violence and who are in need of special physical and mental assistance, could be eligible for medical transfers. This assistance must include at least emergency care and essential treatment of illness. However, Member States are free to extend the assistance and give the same coverage as to their nationals. The European Commission has recommended that Member States provide broad access to sickness benefits and affiliate them to the public health care system of the host Member State in the communication: Welcoming those fleeing war in Ukraine – readying Europe to meet the needs. And this was of March of last March of last year. So the Commission is working closely with, as you can see, with Member States, local and regional authorities, agencies, NGOs and other essential support services to coordinate an effective response to ensure that essential services are readily available and that no victim of sexual violence is left unattended. The Commission has exchanged with Member States and will continue to do so concerning the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive, including in the solidarity platform with dedicated thematic meetings. In our most recent communication of last March, reflecting on the implementation of temporary protection one year after the activation of this directive, we highlighted again that since the majority of those fleeing the war in Ukraine are women and children, their protection remains a critical priority. We also collect information about the different healthcare access dimensions and areas of potential gaps in cooperation with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

Beyond this, the Commission has carried out and published two studies pertaining to the access to health care under the Temporary Protection Directive, in order to monitor the main practical obstacles to effective access to healthcare, such as language and cultural barriers, and, importantly, lack of information.

Now, I want to take this opportunity to also call on the co-legislators, to move swiftly on agreeing on the proposed directive combating violence against women. I thank this House. For its commitment to a European definition of rape. Any form of sex without consent is rape. And we must call it for what it is. So again, I call on you to continue working on this, as violence against women is a scourge, which we need to address, with urgency, jointly.

  Pascual Navarro Ríos, presidente en ejercicio del Consejo. – Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, señorías, resulta tranquilizador ver el alto grado de consenso que existe para mantener nuestro apoyo a Ucrania y a los refugiados ucranianos en Europa, en particular a las mujeres. Sus intervenciones, señorías, han puesto de relieve los importantes desafíos a que debe enfrentarse la población refugiada.

Ciertamente, existen problemas y la población más vulnerable como las mujeres y los niños requiere que se le preste una atención especial y se apliquen medidas específicas que no siempre están disponibles cuando son necesarias.

Como he señalado en el debate anterior, como presidente en ejercicio del Consejo no puedo hacer comentarios sobre la situación en un particular Estado miembro, pero estoy convencido de que las autoridades de todos los Estados miembros están haciendo todo lo que está en sus manos dentro de sus respectivos marcos jurídicos nacionales para abordar estas dificultades y asegurarse de que quienes han acudido a la Unión en busca de refugio seguro sientan que se les da una buena acogida y que se integran plenamente, de acuerdo con la Directiva de protección temporal.

Por último, algunas de sus señorías han mencionado la cuestión de la Directiva de lucha contra la violencia de género y, al igual que la comisaria, pueden tener toda la seguridad de que el Consejo, su Presidencia en ejercicio, considera que este expediente es absolutamente prioritario y hará todo cuanto esté en su mano por una aprobación lo más rápida posible.

  Puhemies. – Keskustelu on päättynyt.

Kirjalliset lausumat (171 artikla)

  Andrea Bocskor (NI), írásban. – Az orosz–ukrán háború következtében többmillió ukrajnai ember kényszerült elhagyni otthonát és keresett menedéket az ország nyugati részében, vagy határain túl, sokan az EU országaiban, így Magyarországon is. A menekültek nagy része a legkiszolgáltatottabb csoporthoz tartozik: nő, gyermek és időskorú, általában családanyák, akik családfői szerepbe kényszerülve próbálnak gondoskodni gyermekeikről, idős hozzátartozóikról.

Számtalan esetről hallottunk a híradásokból, hogy nyugat-európai országokban a menedéket kereső ukrajnai nők szexuális kizsákmányolás, bántalmazás áldozatai lettek. Ezért nem szabad, hogy az Ukrajnából valós veszély elől menekülő gyerekeket és nőket együtt szállásoljanak el olyan, más kulturális értékeket és elveket valló férfi illegális bevándorlókkal, akik személyazonosítás nélkül, jogtalanul léptek az Unió területére, és az erőszak alkalmazása sem áll távol tőlük. Ezzel is védve a már így is óriási traumákat átélt nőket és gyermekeket a további megrázkódtatásoktól.

A Magyarországra érkező nőket és gyermekeket nem érheti ilyen trauma, ők biztonságban vannak! Az ország kormánya, az egyházi és karitatív szervezetek, továbbá az önkéntesek mindent megtesznek annak érdekében, hogy a nehéz sorsú nők életét segítsék, valós védelmet nyújtsanak számukra. Az ide érkezők anyagi és lakhatási támogatásban részesülnek, biztosítják számukra az egészségügyi és pszichoszociális ellátást, információszolgáltatást, jogi tanácsadást is igényelhetnek, továbbá a gyerekek beiskoláztatására és jólétére is óriási figyelmet szentelnek. Magyarország példásan segít!