The Solidarna Foundation, the Parents in Action (RODA) association and the Centre for Education, Counselling and Research (CESI) organised a protest rally in Zagreb on Monday evening to demonstrate their opposition to attempts to deny women their rights.

The protest was held out of solidarity with women in the United States, where the Supreme Court has abolished the constitutional protection of the right to pregnancy termination, devolving the issue to federal states, the organisers said.

“This is our common struggle. Whenever there is a regression of women’s rights in one country, it spills over to other countries. It is our duty to stand in solidarity and resist the forces seeking to deny women their rights,” said Sanja Cesar of the CESI.

Although constitutional experts say that there cannot be a total ban on abortion in Croatia, Cesar noted that Croatian women still cannot rest easy on this issue, despite the law which she described as liberal.

“For thirty years we have witnessed information being withheld, manipulation, a large number of gynaecologists invoking conscientious objection, the cost of an abortion reaching a monthly salary. We can see the highest authorities and the Catholic Church colluding in exerting pressure on women,” Cesar said.

The protest rally was held on US Independence Day and was called Women’s Independence Day.