form of state of emergency, known as a “state OLDER PEOPLE of exception”, which would have required a Thanks to the vaccination campaign, death vote in parliament. In October, the rates in care homes and as percentage of the Constitutional Court found the second state of total Covid-19 deaths decreased dramatically. emergency had also breached constitutional Throughout the year, relatives of people who rules. had died of Covid-19 in care homes In September, Carles Puigdemont, the demonstrated against insufficient former President of the Catalan government, investigations to hold the authorities was arrested in Italy on a warrant issued by accountable for decisions which may have the Spanish Supreme Court for his contributed to their deaths. involvement in the 2017 referendum in SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Catalonia and subsequent declaration of independence. The Italian authorities Violence against women persisted. Forty- released him the following day and three women were killed by their partners or suspended the extradition proceedings, ex-partners. Seven children were killed by pending decisions on his parliamentary their fathers to punish their mothers. immunity by EU courts. In May, parliament passed the Law for RIGHT TO HEALTH comprehensive protection against violence for children and adolescents. This extends The Covid-19 pandemic continued to place the time for initiating investigations in cases the national healthcare system under of serious sexual offences against children unprecedented pressure. However, the and provides for the statute of limitation to authorities failed to put in place adequate start only once the victims reach the age of measures to guarantee everyone’s right to 35. health.1 Older people, people with chronic In July, parliament began discussing a bill to illnesses and those with mental health strengthen protection for victims of sexual conditions faced the greatest difficulties in violence. The bill includes a proposal to accessing care and treatment. Migrant redefine rape as based solely on lack of women were particularly affected by a consent. The bill was pending at the end of weakened primary care service as they the year. Sex-worker-led and other shouldered the greater burden of caring for organizations were concerned that proposed the sick with a less accessible healthcare reforms in the same bill to address system.2 exploitation in the sex industry risked During the Covid-19 vaccination campaign, undermining sex workers’ rights and had non-nationals, in particular people with an been approved by the government without irregular migration status, encountered meaningful consultation and their greater barriers to accessing the health participation. service and vaccines due to a lack of clear SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS protocols regarding identification and access to information for these groups. Abortion for girls between 16 and 18 years of There was an increase in mental health age still required parental permission. The needs during the pandemic, which exposed persistently high number of “conscience- the lack of adequately resourced mental based refusals” from healthcare providers health services. Healthcare workers were continued to limit women’s access to abortion particularly impacted by increases in stress- in the national health system. related illnesses, due to working conditions RIGHT TO HOUSING and care overload. In October, the government announced the adoption of a Despite the pandemic, between January and Mental Health National Strategy after seven June, there were 22,536 evictions. Nearly years without one. 5,400 concerned people who were unable to Amnesty International Report 2021/22 342