Parisians Rally for Global Abortion Rights: A Unified Stand

Hundreds marched in Paris advocating global abortion rights, criticizing France's limitations in accessibility despite constitutional guarantees. The protest marked International Safe Abortion Day and reacted to legal and societal issues emphasizing the importance of reproductive rights against rising far-right influence.

Hundreds of people gathered in Paris on Saturday to support global abortion rights, just six months after France became the first country to enshrine a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy in its constitution.

The protest organized by civil society groups for International Safe Abortion Day called for better access to abortion in France, criticizing budget cuts and the closure of abortion facilities as barriers to women's health services.

Sarah Durocher, president of France's family planning services, highlighted the difficulties faced by French women, sometimes requiring travel to other regions for abortion services. The march also drew participants like Thibault Thomas, motivated by ongoing societal issues, emphasizing the broader context of reproductive rights amidst rising far-right influence.

The protest underscored the threat to sexual and reproductive rights whenever the far-right gains power. Demonstrators, including Colombian women in Paris, expressed solidarity, stressing the importance of collective action for women's autonomy over their bodies.

(With inputs from agencies.)