The collective women's response this time was much weaker. Apart from women members of the Socialist Revolutionary Party (PSR),^ few groups were involved in any extra-parliamentary mobilisation. The lesson is easy to learn: without women's mobilisations, abortion rights will always be postponed, and our rights will never be guaranteed. *
Alda Sousa Notes 1. By 112 votes to 111. See last month's "Portugal: abortion still restricted," (International Viewpoint #286, D.11). The proposal was presented by Sergio sousa Pinto of the Young Socialists. A similar proposal, presented by Odete Santos of the Communist Party, was also refused, by a larger majority. 2. This reflects the only change to the 1984 law which was approved on 20 February. Strecht Monteiro, an obstetrician and MP for the Socialist Party, successfully presented an amendment which extended to 24 weeks the deadline for abortions where the mother's life is in danger, or there is a danger of severe handicap to the baby. 3. In 1982 the Communist Party made the first ever parliamentary proposal to liberalise abortion law. It was defeated. The current legislation dates from 1984. 4. Portuguese section of the Fourth International.