Women took to the streets in Colombia to demand abortion rights

Hundreds of women in Colombia took to the streets in the capital Bogota with concerns that the right to abortion might be taken back under the new government.

Women walking with their green scarves demanded the protection of the right to abortion, which was decriminalized until the 24th week of pregnancy by the decision of the Constitutional Court in 2022.

On September 28, hundreds of women gathered in Bogota in demonstrations organized as part of the global day of action for legal and safe abortion.

The demonstrations were not limited to the capital; Similar actions were held in different cities of the country.

Women chanted slogans like "My womb, my decision" while walking with green scarves, which have become the symbol of the struggle for abortion rights.

19-year-old student Camila Tovar, who participated in the protest, said that she was worried that the right to abortion would be brought into discussion again during the new administration.

ABORTION IS NOT A CRIME UNTIL THE 24TH WEEK

With its decision in 2022, the Colombian Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy.

This regulation made Colombia one of the countries where abortion has been decriminalized for the longest time in Latin America.

Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office as president on August 7, 2026, is known for his stance against abortion.

De la Espriella had previously described himself as "pro-life" and announced that he was against the current regulation. De la Espriella took the oath of office on August 7 for the 2026-2030 term.

The opposition and women's rights organizations argue that the new government's conservative policies may put pressure on the right to abortion.

“NO ONE CAN DECIDE ABOUT MY BODY”

Mariana Millán, a 20-year-old chemist who attended the demonstration, described De la Espriella's election victory as an "insult" for Colombian women.

Millán said, “Neither the state, nor God, nor any man has the right to decide about my body or my womb.”

Women's rights organizations state that they will continue their actions and organizations to protect the current legal gains.