The National Association of Abortion and Contraception Centers (' or ANCIC) is a non-profit,

non-governmental A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

association of persons and professionals who work in pregnancy and abortion planning centers, in the

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

public sector The public sector, also called the state sector, is the part of the economy composed of both public services and public enterprises. Public sectors include the public goods and governmental services such as the military, law enforcement, pu ...

, in France, who provide advice on and support for abortion and

contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

. It is also active in the support of

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

, participates in the theoretical and empirical research on

sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...

and procreation, and supports the

sexual education Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, safe sex, birth control, sexual healt ...

of the public.

History

The association was founded in 1979, under Law 1901 that establishes

Voluntary association A voluntary group or union (also sometimes called a voluntary organization, common-interest association, association, or society) is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement, usually as volunteers, to form a body (or organization) to a ...

s. Leading members credit the 1970s

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

struggles and the support of

Simone Veil Simone Veil (; ; 13 July 1927 – 30 June 2017) was a French magistrate, Holocaust survivor, and politician who served as health minister in several governments and was President of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1982, the first woman t ...

in establishing ANCIC. It actively supported the passage of the 2012 law that allowed for free contraception to teenagers aged between 15 and 18 years old in France, though demanding that the service be extended to young people until the age of 25. In 1991, during an international conference in Amsterdam titled "Abortion Matters", ANCIC co-founded the International Federation of Abortion and Contraception Professionals ( or FIAPAC). The association has participated in many drives abroad for women's equality, such as the 2018 action directed at the government of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

for introducing a "regressive legislative proposal that would erode

reproductive rights Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to human reproduction, reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights: Reproductive rights ...

", a proposal still alive and debated in 2020. In October 2020, the government in France announced the introduction of a bill punishing with jail terms and fines any doctor who provides virginity certificates for traditional, religious marriages. This would be part of draft legislation aimed at reinforcing "French secular values" and combating " Islamist separatism". ANCIC stated it supported the government's stand against "virginity tests", but warned that in some cases women were in "real danger" and "a ban would simply deny the existence of such community practices, without making them disappear". The association suggested that the issue be "tackled quite differently, so that women and men free themselves and reject the weight of uchtraditions."

References

External links

ANCIC quarterly bulletin
* {{cite web , url=https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1551, title=Interruption volontaire de grossesse , language=French, trans-title=Voluntary interruption of pregnancy : legal status, date=2020 , website=Direction de l'information légale et administrative, access-date=5 October 2020 Reproductive rights organizations Non-profit organizations based in France volunteer organizations Organizations established in 1991