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Profamilia Colombia celebrates the anniversary of abortion historic ruling
Together with feminist activists, collectives and organizations, Profamilia Colombia celebrates 4 years of the historic ruling that extended access to safe and legal abortion.
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| 28 February 2026
Profamilia Colombia celebrates the anniversary of abortion historic ruling
Haz click aquí para leer esta noticia en español. Neon lights, popcorn, and a collective energy you could feel from the moment you walked in. That was the scene on the night Profamilia Colombia's community celebrated four years since the decriminalisation of abortion in Colombia up to the 24th week of pregnancy. On 21 February 2022, the Constitutional Court issued ruling C-055, extending access to abortion by choice up to the 24th week of pregnancy. This historic milestone, known as 21F, was the result of years of coordinated work by activists, collectives and organisations such as Profamilia, a Member Association of IPPF in Colombia, to move beyond the three-grounds model that had been in place in the country since 2006. Until then, the model significantly limited women, girls, trans men and non-binary people, allowing abortion only when continuing the pregnancy posed a risk to the woman’s life or overall health, when there was a foetal malformation incompatible with life, or when the pregnancy resulted from sexual violence. Today, these three grounds remain in force for those who need to access abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy. This celebration comes at a key moment. On the eve of 21 February, the mayor of Bogotá rejected — on grounds of unconstitutionality and illegality — a draft agreement that sought to create a "pro-life" route for pregnant women, nursing mothers and unborn children. The initiative posed new barriers to abortion access, exposing women and pregnant people to pressure and manipulation that violate their right to decide freely and autonomously. More than 140 activists, health professionals, representatives of international cooperation, academia and feminist organisations gathered to commemorate a milestone that strengthened autonomy, expanded access to healthcare and reaffirmed freedom of choice. The highlight of the evening was an intimate and powerful regional conversation focused on the current landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean and on building a collective agenda that promotes autonomy and keeps the green wave spreading throughout the region. The panel featured: • Marta Royo, CEO of Profamilia • Viviana Bohórquez, Director of Somos Jacarandas • Amaila de la Torre, Cooperation Architect at IPPF • Anabel Elizondo from the Ixchel Women's Association The agenda also included cinema and collective memory with the screening of Belén, a story that sparked the green wave in Argentina and continues to inspire movements for autonomy throughout the region. In Latin America and the Caribbean, abortion remains a deeply unequal right. Although countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile have expanded their legal frameworks over the past decade, most countries in the region still maintain restrictive legislation that limits access to abortion to specific grounds — such as Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela — or prohibit it in all circumstances, exposing women and pregnant people to criminalisation. The evening ended on a celebratory note: neon cocktails, music, flowing conversations and a shared certainty — autonomy is built, nurtured and celebrated collectively. This meeting was made possible thanks to the support of the IPPF Centre of Excellence, RIOS Rivers, El Proyecto La Lucha Sigue, the Government of Canada and the Jacarandas Foundation.