France enshrines abortion as a constitutional right as the world marks International Women’s Day

By ANGELA CHARLTON and JADE LE DELEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France has inscribed the guaranteed right to abortion in its constitution, a powerful message of support for women’s rights on International Women’s Day. France is the first country to explicitly guarantee abortion rights in its national charter. The French justice minister used a 19th-century printing press to seal the amendment in France’s Constitution at a special public ceremony Friday. The measure was overwhelmingly approved by French lawmakers earlier this week. The ceremony is a key event on a day focused on advancing women’s rights globally. Marches, demonstrations and conferences are being held the world over, from Asia to Latin America and elsewhere.