Voluntary termination of pregnancy has been arousing legal controversy, social polemics and less than cordial disagreements for many centuries. Criminalized, decriminalized, then recriminalized again in Romania in the past 150 years, abortion has had a long and sinuous path in our minds and legislation. The most striking heritage related to this topic comes from the beginning of Nicolae Ceaușescu era, when the demographic policies of the communist state led to the banning of abortions on demand, in the autumn of 1966. Masters of women’s bodies and decisions, these policies left more than 10.000 women dead while trying to illegally terminate their pregnancies. These are the optimistic statistics. The most pessimistic ones put the number of victims at almost 20.000.
Voluntary termination of pregnancy has been arousing legal controversy, social polemics and less than cordial disagreements for many centuries. Criminalized, decriminalized, then recriminalized again in Romania in the past 150 years, abortion has had a long and sinuous path in our minds and legislation. The most striking heritage related to this topic comes from the beginning of Nicolae Ceaușescu era, when the demographic policies of the communist state led to the banning of abortions on demand, in the autumn of 1966. Masters of women’s bodies and decisions, these policies left more than 10.000 women dead while trying to illegally terminate their pregnancies. These are the optimistic statistics. The most pessimistic ones put the number of victims at almost 20.000.
Mihai Matei remembered that his mother could have been one of the victims and decided to support a project that told the stories of those scarred by the efects of such arbitrary political decision, because the banning of abortion is a past that won’t go away – and that might, at any time, turn into future. The Decree Chronicles has been gathering the stories of those who lived with the pain and fear that came from making women’s bodies a public good, merely a copying machine for the workforce. Initially coordinated by Alina Calistru, with the help of Cristina Foarfă, Maria Cîrstea, Adrian Cîțu and Livia Jelea, the project collected the stories of mothers, children and those who helped them stay alive.
Mihai Matei remembered that his mother could have been one of the victims and decided to support a project that told the stories of those scarred by the efects of such arbitrary political decision, because the banning of abortion is a past that won’t go away – and that might, at any time, turn into future. The Decree Chronicles has been gathering the stories of those who lived with the pain and fear that came from making women’s bodies a public good, merely a copying machine for the workforce. Initially coordinated by Alina Calistru, with the help of Cristina Foarfă, Maria Cîrstea, Adrian Cîțu and Livia Jelea, the project collected the stories of mothers, children and those who helped them stay alive.
Even though in the second half of the 20th century dozens of countries relaxed the legal framework for abortion on demand and millions of abortions have been carried out in Romanian hospitals, legally restricted abortion – through political, medical or religious initiatives – isn’t just yesterday’s story. It may very well be tomorrow’s story. Europe is the continent where the right to terminate pregnancy is still heatedly debated and Romania still has politicians that speak with conviction about such a measure. Beyond the legal framing, abortion on demand is also a discussion about medical services, access to contraception or religious views. There aren’t many topics of public interest that afford so many intersections and bear so many meanings.
Even though in the second half of the 20th century dozens of countries relaxed the legal framework for abortion on demand and millions of abortions have been carried out in Romanian hospitals, legally restricted abortion – through political, medical or religious initiatives – isn’t just yesterday’s story. It may very well be tomorrow’s story. Europe is the continent where the right to terminate pregnancy is still heatedly debated and Romania still has politicians that speak with conviction about such a measure. Beyond the legal framing, abortion on demand is also a discussion about medical services, access to contraception or religious views. There aren’t many topics of public interest that afford so many intersections and bear so many meanings.
In a new formula, The Decree Chronicles aim to contribute, through journalism, to this public effort of seeing rightly. We want to find out and understand. About yesterday, about today, but especially about tomorrow. An effort of journalists Diana Oncioiu and Vlad Stoicescu (Dela0.ro), Diana Meseșan (Libertatea) and Octavian Coman (freelance journalist), coordinated by the Center for Independent Journalism, with the support of Essensys Software.
Special thanks to graphic artist Eugen Erhan, who created the visual identity of the project, and to Valentin Santarosa, Andreea Tătaru and Alexandru Mihai, who support the project with creativity and programming. And to you as well, for reading and choosing to support freedom.
Michael Bird helped us bring this series of articles to a larger, international audience of English readers, with the same fluency and depth as their original Romanian versions. We thank him for joining the effort of making sure that the histories revealed by the Decree Chronicles are heard loud and clear.
*Photo and video sources: Vlad Stoicescu, TVR1, IMAGO ROMANIAE