Polish activists have launched a locker in Warsaw that allows women to collect abortion pills anonymously, in a move aimed at challenging the country’s strict restrictions on abortion.
The 22-compartment locker, called “AbortOmat”, was installed at an abortion support centre across from the Polish parliament. Women who have contacted the groups operating the service receive a six-digit code that allows them to open a compartment and collect the medication.
The initiative was launched by Women Help Women and Poland’s Abortion Dream Team. Activists say the system is intended particularly for women who cannot safely receive medication by post or who need quicker access because of medical complications.
Abortion in Poland is currently permitted only when a pregnancy results from a crime such as rape or incest, or when it threatens the woman’s life or health. However, women are not criminally liable for carrying out their own abortions with pills.
Helping another person obtain an abortion can carry a prison sentence of up to three years, creating a legal risk for organisations that provide assistance.
The locker is being presented by its organisers as a way of exploiting a gap in the law while drawing attention to the continuing restrictions on abortion access.
The development comes amid a political stalemate over efforts to liberalise Poland’s abortion laws.
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