We are experiencing a serious attack against women's rights all over Europe which is developing at different paces in our countries. Financial and political powers are threatening our rights, liberties, and our personal autonomy. More and more, they are limiting women's access to the most basic goods and services and thus preventing to reach the equality among all human beings. The outcome is a greater inequality and a growing lack of democracy in Europe.

With the excuse of the economic crisis the patriarchal system is being reinforced and appears in its most backward facet. This is a threat to the safeguard of those rights already conquered by women with so much effort and struggle.

The budget cuts in public services - health assistance, education, social services, equality policies (programs to end gender violence...)-, as well as policies directed to the deregulation of the labour market, all have a strong gender impact. Those measures are pushing women to very serious conditions of economic, social and life precariousness. But women are not going to accept being cheap labour or returning to a traditional and submissive role and assuming all the responsibility regarding household and care work.

In the same way, women will not allow States and religious institutions to interfere in their sexual and reproductive rights and their right to a free choice. We cannot tolerate unfair and backward legislations to be introduced in Europe such as the law a right wing government is trying to impose in Spain against the right to abortion. Any attempt to prevent women's access to an egalitarian sexual education, to contraception and to health assistance for all women whether they wish to continue their pregnancy or not, is an attack against basic human rights. Forcing women to be mothers is also a form of exerting violence against women.

The Party of the European Left, a left and feminist force, its men and its women, will fight against all regressive policies which are causing the increase of gender inequality and will defend all women's rights and liberties to decide on their own lives in Europe and all over the world.