NPR

This secretive network helps Ukrainian refugees find abortions in Europe

Ukraine has very liberal abortion laws. In Poland, it is almost entirely illegal. Millions of Ukrainians discovered this when they fled the war in their home country and crossed the Polish border.
In Ukraine, abortion laws are very liberal. But Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war found much more restrictive laws in neighboring Poland.

Zuzanna Dziuban has had a lot of difficult conversations with Ukrainian refugees lately. But there is one with a pregnant woman that sticks in her memory.

"She's in Poland for four weeks, and just learned about the death of her husband," says Dziuban, a pro-choice abortion activist based in Berlin.

He was killed in the war she had just escaped. Traumatized by it all, the woman couldn't carry the baby to term.

"I shed some tears, but also supported her in ordering pills and told her where to do it," Dziuban says. "I cried

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Barge Hits Bridge Connecting Galveston And Pelican Island, Causing Oil To Spill
The collision's impact sent pieces of the bridge, which connects Galveston to Pelican Island, tumbling on top of the barge and shut down a stretch of waterway so crews could clean up the spill.
NPR2 min read
Meet the 2024 Tiny Desk Contest winner
Every year thousands of musicians enter NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. This year's winner was announced Wednesday — an artist called The Philharmonik, with a song called "What's It All Mean?"
NPR2 min read
Strike Kills U.N. Aid Worker, Injures Another In Southern Gaza
The United Nations said that one of its aid workers was killed and another injured when their vehicle was struck on Monday in Rafah in southern Gaza.

Related Books & Audiobooks