Rome, Italy. Italy’s Constitutional Court has barred Sicily from advertising public health jobs reserved for workers willing to perform abortions, while saying the region could adopt alternative measures to safeguard access to the service.
Court ruling on recruitment
The court said recruitment procedures limited to non-conscientious objectors were incompatible with fundamental principles. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government had challenged Sicily’s measure, arguing it would create special hiring tracks that discriminated against other medical staff.
Sicily’s measures and alternatives
Sicily passed a law last year requiring public hospitals to set up dedicated abortion wards and hire staff willing to carry out the procedure, citing high refusal rates among doctors on moral or religious grounds. The court said Sicily’s public hospitals could enter agreements with private facilities to ensure abortion services were provided.
Sicily’s regional government had no immediate comment.
Background on abortion access in Italy
Abortion has been legal in Italy since 1978. It is permitted within the first 90 days of pregnancy, or later if the mother’s health is at risk or if there are foetal abnormalities.
Recent data show access can be difficult, particularly in the more conservative south, with fewer than half of Sicily’s hospitals offering abortions in 2022. Health workers may opt out by declaring an ethical or religious objection, provided the woman’s life is not in immediate danger.
Limits of separate hiring
The Constitutional Court said separate recruitment would not guarantee access to abortion services across the island because workers could still declare themselves objectors after being hired.
How do you think Sicily should ensure access to abortion services while complying with the court’s ruling?