Amnesty International Slams Andorra on Abortion Ban, Housing Crisis, and Free Speech Limits
Annual report highlights total prohibition on abortions forcing women to travel abroad, inadequate housing reforms amid public concerns, and defamation laws stifling criticism of officials.
Key Points
- Amnesty International criticizes Andorra's total abortion ban, forcing 131 women yearly to Spain for procedures.
- Housing reforms fail to address public concerns over affordable housing shortages.
- Defamation laws stifle free speech by punishing criticism of officials.
- Report highlights shortcomings in gender-based violence response and transgender healthcare.
**Amnesty International’s annual report criticises Andorra over abortion ban, housing crisis, and free speech restrictions**
Amnesty International’s *The State of the World’s Human Rights – Amnesty International Report 2025-26*, published on Tuesday, paints a bleak picture of global human rights amid assaults on international law and civil society. Covering 144 to 155 countries including Andorra, the document singles out the Principality for shortcomings in reproductive rights, housing, gender-based violence, transgender healthcare, and expression freedoms.
The report denounces Andorra’s total abortion prohibition as a violation of rights, including access to safe procedures. A 2025 journalistic probe found an average of 131 resident women travel to Spain annually for terminations. Although the head of government announced in April plans to decriminalise the practice by 2027, Amnesty notes this would not provide local services, leaving women and girls reliant on foreign care.
Housing reforms draw sharp rebuke. The Council General’s March 2025 omnibus law seeks to protect the right to shelter, yet lacks specific actions to boost social housing supply. This gap persists even as local surveys rank affordable housing as the public’s foremost worry.
Defamation laws continue to punish criticism of officials and institutions, breaching international norms. The provisions underpinned the case against Vanessa Cortés, head of Stop Violències.
On gender-based violence, the Council of Europe’s GREVIO experts urge enhanced data gathering on victim-perpetrator links, violence categories, and court rulings, plus deeper involvement from women’s groups. Amnesty views existing efforts as falling short of addressing all manifestations.
Transgender people remain without promised gender-affirming protocols, originally slated by year-end and discussed since 2022, endangering their health. The organisation calls for urgent steps to secure full protections across these domains.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Bon Dia•
Toc d'alerta d'Amnistia Internacional per l'avortament, violència de gènere i l'habitatge
- Diari d'Andorra•
Amnistia Internacional denuncia mancances en el dret a l'habitatge i en violència de gènere
- ARA•
Amnistia Internacional posa el focus en l'avortament i l'habitatge a Andorra
- La Veu Lliure•
Un informe d’Amnistia Internacional alerta de dèficits en la protecció de les persones trans a Andorra
- Altaveu•
Amnistia Internacional pica el crostó a Andorra per l'avortament i la crisi de l'habitatge