My Voice, My Choice is an initiative that is evolving into one of Europe’s largest feminist movements. My Voice, My Choice (MVMC) started in 2024 with the aim of collecting 1 million signatures from across Europe in order to submit a European Citizens Initiative demanding that the EU ensures safe and accessible abortion services for all. Since then, over 1.2 million signatures have been collected and the required 1 millions signatures have been verified!
My Voice, My Choice will hold a press conference in Brussels this weekend and The Feminist Club will be there to cover it. We will share the highlights of this conference in an upcoming post.
The Feminist Club of Amsterdam is one of many organizations that supported this initiative and we are delighted that the MVMC team took the time to answer some of our burning questions.
The Feminist Club (FC): What surprised you during the MVMC campaign?
My Voice, My Choice (MVMC): One of the biggest surprises was how much energy people gave once we built a real movement. At the start, we imagined that a few big NGOs could collect the signatures we needed. But it turned out that the real momentum came when we changed course and went directly to people. WhatsApp groups in every country, street-level conversations, and even a matchmaking website that connected volunteers with signature-collection spots suddenly created a sense of ownership and belonging. Another surprise was the diversity of those who joined: Christians, young and old, men and women stood together for the same cause. We also learned that honesty was powerful. When we posted openly, admitting we were exhausted, asking our community for €20,000, or even saying we just needed to cry for a moment before continuing, support only grew stronger. And it wasn’t just Europeans. Our posts reached people far beyond the EU, including in the United States, India, and Australia, which showed us how much global resonance reproductive rights have today.
FC: What were your most effective strategies?
MVMC: The most effective strategies were the ones that made people feel part of something bigger. Grassroots mobilisation worked far better than relying on large NGOs. Conversations on the streets, volunteer communities coordinated through WhatsApp, and the matchmaking website all gave people a concrete way to act. Social media played a crucial role too, because we used humour and honesty rather than distant, formal messaging. Memes, candid posts about burnout, and bold political commentary allowed people to connect not just with the campaign’s goals, but with us as people. Partnerships also made a decisive difference. Climate activist Luisa Neubauer’s support brought in 30,000 signatures in only a few days. In Croatia, singer Severina helped us cross the national threshold and stayed involved throughout. And in Romania, even a Vice President of the European Parliament joined us in the streets to collect signatures. Every time we faced a barrier, we tried something new, and that adaptability kept the campaign moving forward.
FC: What is your advice for individual feminist groups on how to unite people to make change? What tips can you give to individuals who want to make a difference?
MVMC: The first piece of advice is to know exactly what you want to change. We never set out to simply raise awareness; our goal was to change the rules of the European Union and create a financial mechanism for abortion access. That clarity gave people something concrete to fight for. The second lesson is that community matters more than infrastructure. At the beginning, we thought Facebook and Instagram ads could do the work for us. They didn’t. What worked was building a lasting community of people who stayed engaged, even after the signatures were collected. Third: honesty. Don’t pretend activism is glamorous or easy. We showed when we were tired, when we needed money, when we felt angry or sad, and people trusted us more because of that. Fourth: communicate constantly. We post up to 20 times a day on Instagram. Some posts fail, others take off, but volume is how you stay louder than the hate. And finally, never forget to enjoy the work. Activism is exhausting, and you lose most of the time. If you don’t find joy in it — whether through humour, glitter, or pop culture — you burn out. Our biggest advice to individuals is: don’t wait until you’re “ready.” Start now, be honest, and connect with others. Change always begins with community.
FC: What’s next for My Voice, My Choice?
MVMC: We collected over 1.2 million signatures, and national authorities have now verified them. On September 1st, we will be in Brussels to officially submit the signatures to the European Commission. This sets off a formal process: first, an official meeting with the Commission, followed by a public hearing in the European Parliament, and then, within six months, a formal response from the Commission. At the same time, we are preparing to make our presence felt in Brussels; through protests, banners, and public actions that remind decision-makers we are watching them. The campaign in many ways is only entering its next stage, and our greatest strength is the European community we’ve built, a network ready to stand up whenever reproductive rights are under attack.
You can follow My Voice, My Choice’s progress through their Instagram account.
