On International Women’s Day, France Becomes First Country To Constitutionally Protect Right To Abortion

France became the first nation to explicitly safeguard abortion rights in its national charter, marking a significant milestone in the fight for women's reproductive rights.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the public ceremony to seal into France's constitutional law a woman's right to an abortion on International Women's Day.

Source : getty

New Delhi: The French leadership used a Napoleon-era press to enshrine the right to abortion in the country's constitution during a historic ceremony on Friday. This event, open to the public, is strategically planned on International Women's Day to demonstrate solidarity with women worldwide. 

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he wanted to enshrine the right to terminate a pregnancy not just in France's constitution but also in the European Union's basic law, news agency AFP reported.

Macron declared that France would persist until the right to abortion, now enshrined in the French constitution—a global first—is ensured in the EU's rights charter and across the globe, as per AFP.

Speaking as a constitutional amendment sealing the right to abortion was ceremonially enacted with hot wax, Macron underscored the significance of the occasion, which coincided with International Women's Day.

"With this amendment, France becomes the first country in the world to constitutionally protect the right to abortion in all circumstances," Macron proclaimed in front of the justice ministry in central Paris's Place Vendome, as quoted by AFP.

He further emphasised, "However, our efforts will continue until this commitment is upheld universally."

#UPDATE President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he wanted to enshrine the right to terminate a pregnancy not just in France's constitution but also in the European Union's basic law. pic.twitter.com/PtbGJHxLxx

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 8, 2024

The French President has described the amendment as a direct response to the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned longstanding abortion rights, news agency AP reported.

Abortion, A Question Of Public Health And Not Politics In France

While abortion is a deeply divisive issue in the United States, it’s legal in nearly all of Europe and overwhelmingly supported in France. In France, abortion is perceived more as a matter of public health rather than politics. French legislators approved a constitutional amendment on Monday with a decisive 780-72 vote, even gaining backing from some far-right lawmakers. 

Friday’s ceremony, held on the cobblestones of Vendome Plaza in Paris, is a key event on a day focused on advancing women’s rights globally. This event is part of a broader movement encompassing marches, protests, and conferences held from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Mexico City and beyond, as per AP.

The French constitutional amendment has received praise from women's rights advocates worldwide, particularly in regions where women face challenges accessing birth control or maternal health care. 

Critics Of President Macron Questioned His Pursuit Of Abortion Measure

Critics of President Macron have questioned his pursuit of the abortion measure in a country where abortion rights are not under immediate threat, but where women confront numerous other challenges. France grapples with persistently high rates of domestic violence against women, as well as obstacles in prosecuting sexual abuse cases involving powerful figures such as celebrities, as per AP.

Disparities in pay and pensions persist, particularly affecting non-white women. Macron's government has defended the abortion amendment as a preventative measure, aimed at averting a scenario akin to the United States, where hard-right groups are gaining traction and seeking to roll back freedoms across Europe.

President Macron will oversee the inclusion of the abortion amendment into France's 1958 constitution, with Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti utilising a 100-kilogram (220-pound) press from 1810 for the imprint. The amendment will explicitly state, "the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed." Notably, this ceremony will be held outdoors, with public participation invited for the first time.

France's move follows the example set by the former Yugoslavia, which included language in its 1974 constitution affirming a person's freedom to decide on having children. Meanwhile, in Ireland, voters are set to decide on constitutional amendments related to women's domestic duties and family definitions.

Globally, International Women's Day is marked by protests and rallies, with demonstrators in Istanbul focusing on combatting violence against women, while labor rights groups in Indonesia and Thailand advocate for gender equality and better work conditions, respectively. The Philippines saw activists marching against violence, though their efforts were met with police intervention.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a price reduction for cooking gas cylinders as part of efforts to empower women. Recognised by the United Nations since 1977, International Women's Day is celebrated as a national holiday in approximately 20 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, and Afghanistan.