tion of women in Portugal, I give greetings and solidarity with your demonstration today.
Despite the revolutionary upsurge of the mass of working people in Portugal in the past eighteen months, and the increasing involvement of women in events in the factories, the local neighbourhoods and the countryside, women are still a long way from winning the fundamental right to control their own fertility. ConTraception is very anticult to ootain. because no publicity is allowed about it and tnere are very tew clinics providing a service. In Lisbon, for example, there is only one clinic, open for two hours a week, to cope with the needs of 800,000 Women Abortion is still illegal for the vast majority of working class women. The rich of course can afford to pay the exoroitant orice necessary to cer their abortions done oy private doctors bevond the reach of the law. Meanwhile, The second anniversary of the fall 180,000 backstreet abortions are perTormed every year, taking teir ton or the lives of 2,000 women and maiming and crippling thousands more.
There is no national health service in Portugal, and Portuguese women have to rely on untrained nurses and midwives for most of their health care. The grip of religion is very strong, and this has been reinforced by the fascist nature of the rule in Portugal which has held back the ability of women and men to express their sexuality and control their fertility for so many years.
But there has been developing in Portugal a movement to fight for health rigats tor women and their tamilies. A 'people's clinic' was set up in an occupied mansion in Lisbon last year, run by a few sympathetic nurses and doctors, with equipment given by the Lisnave shipyard workers, and involving local people. Among other things, it has been possible to perform years, will appoint the Prime Minisary women.
March. Absentee some abortions with the new simple Karman method, and to spread informa tion about such things amongst ordinIn February this year, a film made by women running the clinic was shown on television and nas created an uproar The most widely read woman's magazine, which usually just talks about tashion and knitting, was forced to devote a whole issue to contraception and abortion, coming out in support of it. There have been many letters and discussions and CP there are four right-wing groups - the CDS, the PPD, the But the right-wing Christian Dem ocrats, aided by the police, are coming into the attack in force, have destroyed the film, raided the clinic, and are issuing writs for arrests. Despite this, abor Tions are still being Derrormed, out sec retly in premises provided by neighbournood committees and the snipvard work ers. It is clear that at this time particularly the widest possible support is neces sary for those who are struggling to win free contraception and abortion on demand for women The success of the movement in Portugal, which is still only just beginning to develop, depends on this. I there fore send this message of solidarity with your fight in Britain, in the hope that vour movement will consider sell c part of a much wider international strug ale or all working class people to win the right of women all over the world to control their bodies - and their lives. to agree on a governmental slogan for the campaign.