World
France Pardons Women Jailed for Abortions Before Legalisation
French lawmakers have unanimously approved a bill exonerating women who were convicted for having abortions before the procedure was legalised in 1975, a move praised by feminist groups as a strong affirmation of reproductive rights.
The unanimous vote in the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, on Thursday finalised the adoption of the bill, which had earlier been approved by the Senate in March and backed by the government.
The legislation acknowledges that the enforcement of former laws “criminalising the use of, practice of, access to, and information about abortion” amounted to “an infringement of the protection of women’s health, of sexual and reproductive autonomy”, as well as “of women’s rights”.
It further noted that the pre-1975 laws led to “numerous deaths” and caused “physical and moral suffering”.
“This is an act of justice toward those thousands of lives shattered by unjust laws,” said Aurore Berge, the minister-delegate for gender equality, during a speech in which she referenced an abortion her mother had.
“We have a responsibility to make amends, but above all we have a duty to sound the alarm,” she added, highlighting attacks on women’s rights “all around the world”.
Official estimates indicate that between 1870 and 1975, more than 11,660 people were convicted for performing or seeking an abortion in France.
While the new law does not provide for financial reparations, it mandates the creation of a commission tasked with collecting and sharing testimonies of women forced into clandestine abortions, as well as those who assisted them.
Lawmakers on Thursday also welcomed the presence in the parliamentary gallery of Claudine Monteil, one of the 343 women who in 1971 signed an open letter declaring they had undergone abortions and calling for legalisation.
France decriminalised voluntary termination of pregnancy through the 1975 Veil Law, named after former health minister and women’s rights advocate Simone Veil, who championed the reform.
Last year, France became the first country in the world to enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution.
Despite this progress, abortion remains a contentious political issue globally, with some countries including the United States rolling back reproductive rights in recent years.
“France is sending a clear message, at home and abroad: no one should ever be convicted for having an abortion,” the Women’s Foundation said in a statement.
Earlier this week, the European Parliament adopted a text urging the European Union to facilitate access to “safe” abortions across member states, where access continues to vary widely.
