“There is a large group of single women who are secure and would like to have a child, but they cannot legally have one in the Czech Republic,” said Nicole Mardesicova, vice-chairwoman of the assisted reproduction department at the Czech Gynaecological and Obstetrics Society. The draft amendment, submitted on June 24 for interdepartmental consultation by Health Minister Vojtech together with the government’s human rights commissioner, Tatana Mala, would update the Act on Special Health Services, which many have long criticised as outdated. In its current form, the reform would merely abolish the requirement for a man’s written permission, opening up assisted reproduction to single women and, implicitly, to lesbian couples. This, in turn, raises another question on whether the access will be de-facto reserved for wealthier women who can afford it. “There are women who, for various reasons, do not have a partner.