Un million euros again this year to finance the fund intended for the “Vita Nascente” project aimed at pregnant women in economic-social difficulty. This year, however, the Piemonte region it will also support training courses for pregnant women “starting from the first three months of gestation”. To manage this money they will be the Pro Vita associations whose involvement has sparked strong controversy.
One million euros against abortion
This extends the initiative conceived by the department in favor of pregnant women who choose not to have an abortion and new mothers, confirming the desire not to create a spot initiative, but rather a permanent spending chapter in the budget. What immediately sparked conflict, however, was precisely the involvement of pro-life or anti-abortion associations in the co-management of these funds. A choice that for feminist associations, the opposition and the CGIL must be read as purely ideological.
The no from feminist associations
Yesterday morning the union demonstrated in front of Palazzo Lascaris during the session of the Regional Council, with a leaflet called “I decide” to ask for the blocking of “Vita nascente” and a stop to funding. «This is an unprecedented attack on women’s rights and the secular nature of institutions – accuses the union – choices that aim to weaken the protections of law 194 for women who intend to terminate their pregnancy. And above all they divert huge public resources that could be used to increase gender protection and health, to instead finance private anti-abortion associations.”
The Piedmont Region finances Pro Vita associations, controversies grow (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
The Piedmont Region continues on its anti-abortion path
But the Piedmont Region is convinced, at least partially, about the recipe against the country’s demographic winter: «Faced with the mountain of powdered milk, diapers, cots, rental assistancebills and mortgages which, thanks to the Vita Nascente fund, life support centers are providing to socially fragile women and couples who do not want to give up their pregnancies – explained Maurizio Marrone, councilor for social policies of the Piedmont Region – the ideological slogans of the opposition sound increasingly stale and distant from the real country».
«Single aim: to limit freedom of choice»
But the 5 Star Movement is not on board: «Councilor Marrone spare us the rhetoric on aid for women, his only interest is to limit his freedom of choice – and concludes – We are ready to fight on the budget forecast in the Regional Council».
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