Abortion Rights in France: First to Make it Constitutional
By: Geetanajli
“We’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you and no one can decide for you”, PM Gabriel Attal said while addressing MP’s and senators in the French Senate. Shaping the history of France and the entire world, the French Senate on Monday, March 4, 2024, passed a landmark judgement to commemorate the Right to Abortion as a constitutional right. Judgement welcomed by the women’s right activist group and is being criticized by the anti-abortion group activist. The judgement is widely accepted by the public in France as per the polls more than 80% people are in favour of the judgement unlike the U.S. The move was passed with 780 votes in favour and 72 in against in a joint senate meeting.
Though France had permitted legal abortion rights to womens, since 1974- which was a revolutionary step in that time.This move was taken in a step to ensure women’s basic rights, so that no future government can easily take down the law and turn it against womens. As the US Supreme Court in 2022 has struck down Reo v. Wade’s ruling which recognised abortion rights, women rights activists, has pushed France to become the first country to patch abortion rights in its basic laws. Pregnant womens who seek to get abortion can get it up to 14 weeks, said the Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti.
Abortion Policy in India:
India is among 73 countries where abortion is legalised, though it comes with a set of do’s and don’ts. As per the Medical Termination Act of 2021 the gestation period for a normal pregnancy is 20 weeks, however abortion can be allowed up to 24 weeks by the advice of a doctor in cases including rape victims, disabled women, minor pregnancy, or on any other medical deformity (only if approved by a doctor). Sex selective abortions are illegal.
Abortion is legal in a total of 73 Countries, though, term and conditions, gestational period varies as per the country, and parental or consent of spouse may be required for abortion in some countries. Below is a list of countries that have made abortion legal.
| Albania | Cuba | Ireland | New Caledonia | Spain |
| Argentina | Cyprus | Italy | New Zealand | Sweden |
| Armenia | Czech Rep. | Kazakhstan | Northern Ireland | Switzerland |
| Australia | Dem. People’s Rep. of Korea | Kosovo | Norway | Tajikistan |
| Austria | Denmark | Kyrgyzstan | Portugal | Thailand |
| Azerbaijan | Estonia | Latvia | Puerto Rico | Tunisia |
| Belarus | France | Lithuania | Republic of North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia) | Turkey |
| Belgium | French Guiana | Luxembourg | Romania | Turkmenistan |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | Georgia | Maldives | Russian Fed. | Ukraine |
| Bulgaria | Germany | Moldova | Sao Tome & Principe | The United States* |
| Cambodia | Greece | Mongolia | Serbia | Uruguay |
| Canada | Guinea-Bissau | Montenegro | Singapore | Uzbekistan |
| Cape Verde | Guyana | Mozambique | Slovak Rep. | Vietnam |
| China | Hungary | Nepal | Slovenia | |
| Croatia | Iceland | Netherlands | South Africa |
