On International Women’s Day, the Simone Veil Prize of the French Republic was awarded to the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion (Agrupación Ciudadana por la despenalización del aborto) by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, and Sophie Pouget, President of the Jury. The Salvadorian Citizen Group was represented by its founder and current President, Morena Herrera.
Created in 2019, the Simone Veil Prize of the French Republic is awarded each year, under the aegis of the President of the French Republic, to mark the celebrations of 8 March, to a person or group who works to further gender equality and to improve the situation for women and girls around the world. The winner of the Simone Veil Prize of the French Republic is awarded €100,000 to finance tangible action and projects.
The Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion is working to change legislation concerning the right to abortion in El Salvador, which is one of the strictest in the world, as abortion is not allowed in any circumstances. The Citizen Group defends women who are being prosecuted for abortion, including involuntary abortion, and refers cases to the inter-American human rights system. The Citizen Group have secured the release of 70 women since its inception.
Watch the presentation of the Simone Veil Prize of the French Republic 2023
Read the speech by Minister Catherine Colonna (in french)
Originally published at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/feminist-diplomacy/news/article/citizen-group-for-the-decriminialization-of-abortion-winner-of-the-simone-veil
