A “Freedom Train” for the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Women in Spain · Global Voices
Sandra Abd'Allah-Alvarez Ramírez

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, Minister of Justice in Mariano Rajoy’s government, is spearheading a bill that seeks to repeal the existing standard in Spain—the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy Law (VIP) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) 2010— by promoting a reform that would mean a 30 year setback in the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights in that country.
A campaign opposing this bill, which has not yet been approved, has been spearheaded by feminist movement of Asturias, specifically the Tertulia Feminista les Comadres [es] led by the florist Begoña Piñero Hevia. Named by its creators “The Freedom Train” [es], the initiative was launched through social networks on January 2:
Las mujeres de la Tertulia Feminista les Comadres y de Mujeres por la Igualdad de Barredos consideramos que la reforma de la ley del aborto planteada por el Gobierno de Rajoy constituye un ataque injustificable a la libertad de decidir de las mujeres.
Invitamos a la sociedad asturiana a sumarse a las acciones que se organicen desde los distintos grupos, asociaciones y colectivos de mujeres para conseguir la retirada de ese Anteproyecto de Ley.
The women of Tertulia Feminista les Comadres and Women of Barredos for Equality believe that reforming the abortion law proposed by Rajoy’s government constitutes an unjustified attack against the free will of women.
We invite Asturian society to join actions organized by various groups, associations and women’s collectives to achieve the withdrawal of this proposed law.
Leaving from Asturias and arriving in Madrid on February 1st, the “Freedom Train” comprises a series of actions and activities, and the creation of supporting materials such as banners and bibs, all  created and run by the participants themselves.
Begoña Piñero Hevia wearing the Freedom Train bib
From the start, the initiative has found support in several countries, and has inspired other activities and collateral actions. The text “Because I Decide” [es], which has been translated into seven languages, will be delivered to the Spanish Council of Deputies. One of the paragraphs says:
Porque yo decido, soy libre y vivo en democracia exijo del gobierno, de cualquier gobierno, que promulguen leyes que favorezcan la autonomía moral, preserven la libertad de conciencia y garanticen la pluralidad y diversidad de intereses.
Porque yo decido, soy libre y vivo en democracia exijo  que se mantenga la actual Ley de salud sexual y reproductiva y de interrupción voluntaria del embarazo por favorecer la autonomía moral, preservar la libertad de conciencia y garantizar la pluralidad de intereses de todas las mujeres.
Because I decide, I am free and I live in a democracy, I demand that the government, any government, enact laws that promote moral autonomy, preserve freedom of conscience, and ensure plurality and diversity of interests.
Because I decide, I am free and I live in a democracy, I demand that the current law on sexual and reproductive health and abortion is maintained, fostering moral autonomy, preserving freedom of conscience and ensuring the plurality of interests of all women.
Activists from 13 Spanish communities will come together to take the text to the Council.
Tweeted from Galicia:
.@XSGalicia El 1 de Febrero nos vemos en Atocha. Ni un paso atrás. Yo voy, y tú? http://t.co/P40MOIMFTU #eltrendelalibertad #yodecido
— Patricia R Calviño (@PatriRguezC) enero 15, 2014
We’ll see you on February 1 in Atocha. Not one step back. I’m going, are you?
And from Granada:
¿Nos acompañas a #eltrendelalibertad? Salimos el 1 de febrero a las 6 de la mañana. Te esperamos pic.twitter.com/jLiZch7oWR
— Igualdad PSOEGRX (@IgualdadPSOEGR) enero 27, 2014
Coming with us on the Freedom Train? We're leaving on February 1 at 6 a.m. We'll expect you there!
A group of women filmmakers [es] (directors, producers, photographers) joined the mobilization to film and record the events of February 1st, when the “Freedom Train” arrived at the Atocha terminal in Madrid. Some of these women artists are: Inés París, Gracia Querejeta, Chus Gutiérrez, Ángeles González-Sinde, Iciar Bollaín and Isabel Coixet.
At the same time, a group of approximately 1500 intellectuals, at the initiative of  Pilar Aguilar, analyst and critic, have signed a manifesto [es]. Writers Mercedes Abad, Lola Beccaria, Isabel Cienfuegos, Laura Freixas, Rosa Montero and university professors Carmen Valcárcel and Almudena Hernando are among the supporters of this manifesto.
Rajoy in cahoots with his boys
have taken our bodies hostage
with a devastating, abhorrent law
which aims to shamelessly denigrate women.
The initiative has also had an impact in Latin America, mainly Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, noted in the publication of several messages on the social network Twitter. In Ecuador, through the Slut Walk, the plan is to go to the Spanish Consulate in the capital city of Quito and demand that the permanence of current law on sexual and reproductive health.
#ElTrenDeLaLibertad en Ecuador pic.twitter.com/zJxjQV983T — Blogueras.as (@BloguerasAs) enero 21, 2014
From the Caribbean:
La Rep Dominicana con #ElTrenDeLaLibertad https://t.co/59E9lwEL6u
— Beatriz Egido Gordo (@beatrizegido) enero 26, 2014
Also, there have been petitions for asylum based on health issues linked to abortions by a group of people at the French Embassy in Spain:
Más de 200 solicitudes de #ASILOaborto en la embajada Francia http://t.co/5VBday8pex Este sábado nos subimos a #ElTrendelaLibertad
— Alianza (@AxSolidaridad) enero 29, 2014
More than 200 petitions for abortion asylum at the French embassy. This Saturday we get on the Freedom Train.
Besides the Gallic nation, other European nations will be protesting, among them Belgium and Italy. In Brussels, on January 30 a demonstration was held against the so-called Gallardón reform, with thousands in attendance.
Apoyo de las mujeres italianas y francesas #AbortoLibre #feminismoenred #ElTrenDeLaLibertad http://t.co/4z0nLNWDhO
— Blogueras.as (@BloguerasAs) enero 21, 2014
Support from Italian and French women
Here, the The Freedom Train theme song: