She Decides The Netherlands

Challenges for Women and Girls

214 million women around the world still don't have access to contraceptives. A concept that to many Dutch women was quite inconceivable, until the end of 2018, when contraceptive pills in the Netherlands threatened to run out.

Suddenly contraception seemed to be not as easily available as we all had thought. Immediately, Dutch women showed their mutual solidarity and exchanged contraceptive pills to help each other out.

In May 2019 it hit the news that Dutch women were harassed by anti-abortion activists, while trying to enter abortion clinics. Again, women showed their solidarity and an ‘abortion buddy’ initiative was set up.

SheDecides The Netherlands will continue to ask Dutch women to show their solidarity not only each other, but also to women in countries where contraception and safe abortion are not so readily available. Through campaigns and events Dutch women are invited to reflect and speak out on their freedom of choice and join the SheDecides movement.

SheDecides The Netherlands is represented by four Champions

Lilianne Ploumen
(SheDecides Founder and Dutch Member of Parliament)

Sigrid Kaag
(Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation)

Princess Mabel van Oranje-Nassau
(Initiator and Chair, Girls Not Brides)

Ton Coenen
(Executive Director Rutgers)

In addition, the local movement is supported by local Friends of SheDecides;

Lotte Rensen (Coordinator SheDecides The Netherlands at Rutgers),

Floortje van der Plas (25x25 SheDecides youth leader),

Justine van de Beek (SRHR Youth Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs),

Marthe de Win (co-founder De Bovengrondse),

Milou Deelen (journalist),

Lotte Dijkstra (physician assistant),

Linda de Munck (vlogger)

Sanne Thijssen (Founder Shake the Dust).