Spain has extended its free IVF provision to single women and the LGBTQ community
An order was signed and granted by the country’s Health Minister Carolina Darius and means more women than ever before access to the medically assisted reproductive systems.
Fertility treatment has long been free for women in Spain, but six years ago the conservative government restricted it to heterosexual women who have a partner, a move that outraged the LGBTQ community.
Now, the Socialist-led government, which has a record number of women in its cabinet, hopes to drive forward equality.
Carolina Darius said at the time of the signing, which was attended by activists and lobbyists for the move, the step aimed to put an end to discrimination in Spain’s public health system.
Previously, any woman who was not heterosexual with a partner had to pay privately for fertility treatment.
President of Spain’s federation of the LGBTQ+ rights group, Uge Sangil, said the lives of thousands of women would be transformed.
She said: “Let no one doubt that expanding reproductive rights is expanding human rights.”
The move follows from the neighbouring country France that extended its fertility and reproductive rights to single women and those in the LGBTQ+ community in 2020.
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