In a recent presentation, Hadja Lahbib, the European Commission's Equality Commissioner, unveiled a roadmap aimed at enhancing women's rights and health within the European Union.

The plan promises to improve equal access to medical care for women, emphasizing the need for more diverse clinical trials, diagnostics, and treatments.

Lahbib highlighted the ongoing disparities in women's health, particularly noting that women continue to die from conditions like heart attacks at higher rates than men due to historical biases in medical research and care.

"This is not just a gap in science, it's a failure of equality in health care and it is costing lives," she stated.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supported this sentiment during the roadmap's launch, asserting that there is no justification for lower health standards for women based on gender.

However, when posed with questions regarding abortion rights and sexual and reproductive health, Lahbib reiterated that such matters remain under the jurisdiction of individual EU member states.

She voiced concern over what she termed a "worrying trend" of attacks on reproductive freedoms both within the EU and globally, yet fell short of outlining specific actions to address these issues.

"We are here talking about a national competence," Lahbib stated, indicating her limited scope of action.

The responsibility for women's health issues, including abortion, was recently transferred to Lahbib after previous health commissioner Olivér Várhelyi from Hungary, associated with the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, did not meet parliamentary expectations on this matter.

Criticism arose from members of the European Parliament regarding the roadmap's lack of ambition and clarity on sexual and reproductive rights.

Mélissa Camara, an MEP with the Greens/EFA, described the plan as sending "mixed messages" and lacking a definitive commitment to abortion rights.

Heléne Fritzon, a member of the Socialists & Democrats, added that the strategy should ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health rights within and beyond the EU. Some MEPs have advocated for the inclusion of abortion rights in the EU's cross-border health directive.

The topic of abortion remains highly contentious within the EU despite the bloc’s overall commitment to gender equality.

While abortion is accessible in most EU countries, Poland and Malta impose severe restrictions, and even in Italy, many doctors refuse to perform the procedure on moral grounds.

A proposal to include abortion rights in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights was put forth in a non-binding resolution by Parliament for 2024, but would require consensus from all 27 member states, which is complicated by the presence of conservative-led governments.

In December, Lahbib asserted her commitment to advancing abortion rights at an EU level, stating she would "not budge" on this issue, highlighting the challenges she faces in reconciling differing political viewpoints among EU member states.