Yvette Roudy, French minister who secured state funding for abortion, dies at 97

Yvette Roudy, a pivotal figure in French feminism and politics, has passed away at the age of 97. Roudy served as the socialist minister for Women's Rights under President François Mitterrand from 1981 to 1986, a period marked by significant advancements in women's rights in France.

Her most enduring legacy is arguably the 1982 law that ensured the French Social Security system would cover the costs of voluntary abortions. This landmark legislation, enacted shortly after abortion was decriminalized in 1975, was the result of a fierce political battle. Roudy faced strong opposition, with critics accusing her of "violating consciences."

"I knew it was going to be difficult. That's why I did it immediately" upon taking office, Roudy recalled, underscoring her determination to advance women's reproductive rights. She viewed state-funded abortion access as a guarantee of anonymity and a way to lift a certain social stigma for women.

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I knew it was going to be difficult. That's why I did it immediately.

Beyond reproductive rights, Roudy was also a driving force behind the 1983 law on professional equality, which bears her name. Throughout her career, she advocated for women's advancement in a post-war era where educational opportunities were often restricted for women. She pursued her own education diligently, earning her baccalaureate at age 26 through night classes while working in the fish canning and textile industries.

Roudy's path to politics was unconventional. A self-taught individual who began her career in translation, she joined Mitterrand's political movement in the 1960s. Her political career also included serving as a Member of the European Parliament, a deputy in the National Assembly, and the mayor of Lisieux for over a decade. Her death marks the end of an era for French feminism and women's rights advocacy.

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the guarantee of anonymity (...), the lifting of a certain form of social reprobation.