September 28 marks the Global Day of Action for the Right to Abortion, a cause to which Equipop is committed year-round. For the 2026 event, Equipop and its partners are launching a special initiative that will light up Paris in the colors of the right to abortion and freedom of choice.
Why do we still need to talk about abortion rights in 2026?
The right to abortion is a struggle won day by day. All over the world, feminists are fighting to secure, maintain, or defend it. They are facing a reactionary offensive that has intensified since the early 2010s and, above all, with Trump’s return to the White House. This backlash is becoming increasingly virulent, and the resources at its disposal are growing considerably.
These attacks are never isolated: control over women’s bodies precedes control over peoples and the erosion of democracies. This is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes. As the EESC points out in a resolution adopted in March 2026, “this trend primarily targets women’s rights, but it is part of a broader context in which fundamental principles—including equality among people and respect for fundamental freedoms—are being called into question.”
In multilateral forums, the right to abortion crystallizes power dynamics and diplomatic bargaining between states. On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, a coalition of 60 organizations was launched with the goal of promoting the “Geneva Consensus Declaration,” an anti-choice document introduced by the first Trump administration that aims to block any attempt to advance abortion rights.
Globally, there are several examples—from Ireland to Nepal to Benin—that show it is possible to make progress. In Europe in particular, the right to abortion has advanced: In the last decade alone, 21 European countries have implemented significant reforms aimed at improving access to abortion services, according to a study by the Center for Reproductive Rights. The constitutional recognition of abortion in France has inspired others: similar reform initiatives are underway in Belgium, Sweden, and Spain.
However, progress has been uneven, and this right continues to face regular challenges or remains difficult to access: anti-choice groups have reappeared outside clinics in Italy; there has been no relaxation of the law in Poland despite the arrival of a new government; and abortion remains banned in Malta except in exceptional cases… The rise of the far right in Europe is also being felt in the European Parliament: in September, an anti-abortion exhibition was inaugurated by the ECR group, which includes Giorgia Meloni’s party as well as French MEP Marion Maréchal.
In France, the right to abortion enjoys broad public support. According to a 2022 study by the Jean-Jaurès Foundation, 81% of French people were in favor of enshrining it in the Constitution. But here, too, it must be protected against headwinds: pressure from the far right, prevailing pro-birth rhetoric and “demographic rearmament,” challenges to freedom of association, and budget cuts that threaten the continuity of services provided by long-standing grassroots organizations such as Le Planning Familial.
Equipop's Commitment to the Right to Abortion
Defending the right to abortion is at the heart of Equipop’s mission. The organization is active in France, Europe, Francophone Africa—throughinitiatives such asthe Francophone Feminist Alliance —and around the world to support and unite organizations and activists and to drive the societal and legislative changes needed to make abortion accessible. Working with cities, local governments, and even the UN, Equipop engages policymakers and raises awareness of issues related to abortion and sexual and reproductive rights in general. Through its“Feminisms and Health”series, the organization creates spaces for discussion and offers training for healthcare professionals.
Finally, because major feminist victories have always been achieved through social mobilization, Equipop has launched the“Ici aussi”campaign, which calls on citizens to urge French policymakers to take a clear stand in favor of abortion rights and international solidarity.
With less than a year to go before the 2027 presidential election, feminist issues such as abortion rights must be prioritized by the candidates: because the French people care deeply about them and because these are issues that matter, both in their daily lives and in current geopolitical debates.
In 2026, Paris will light up in green in support of abortion rights
This year, Equipop is launching a special initiative with its European partner, the Center for Reproductive Rights, as well as Le Planning Familial, Médecins du Monde, Amnesty International France, and Ipas. In about fifteen European cities, monuments and iconic buildings will be lit up in green—the color that unites the global struggle for abortion rights—in reference to the feminist “green wave” that swept through Latin America.
In Paris, City Hall will illuminate the July Column at Place de la Bastille, a symbol of freedom and victory that pays tribute to the revolutionaries.
When abortion rights are rolled back in one country, in a sense, they are rolled back everywhere in the world. This is because anti-rights movements draw inspiration from one another, take pride in their neighbors’ gains, coordinate their efforts, and are linked by the same methods, talking points, and funding.
In every country where the far right and populism are on the rise, cities have a special role to play: through their proximity to citizens, the public services they provide, and the support they offer to the local nonprofit sector, cities can and must act as bastions of resistance.
See you on September 28 starting at 7:30 p.m.!
