Public landmarks in at least nine European cities will light up green for International Safe Abortion Day in a visible show of support for abortion access, as new analysis from the Center for Reproductive Rights shows sustained legal progress across the region. 

GENEVA, 28.09.2026—Today, municipalities across Europe are illuminating city halls and prominent public landmarks in green in a coordinated show of support for abortion rights on International Safe Abortion Day. Official illuminations are taking place in Barcelona, Bratislava, Brussels, Dublin, Edinburgh, Geneva, Paris, Pula, Yerevan and Zagreb, demonstrating the commitment of cities across the region to abortion rights. 

By illuminating city halls and other prominent public landmarks, participating municipalities are making a clear public statement of support for abortion rights in some of Europe’s most recognisable civic spaces. Leading cultural, academic and professional institutions are also taking part, with buildings and landmarks in Dublin, Edinburgh and London joining the action. Across at least 11 European cities, the use of green — the colour associated with the global movement for abortion rights — creates a shared visual message of solidarity and support for abortion access. 

“Today, municipalities and institutions across Europe are sending a clear message of support for abortion rights. By illuminating in green to mark International Safe Abortion Day, they are projecting a symbol of hope and solidarity that will resonate globally.” said Leah Hoctor, Vice President for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Data shows that legal progress is continuing across Europe. Yet too many women continue to face outdated criminal and procedural barriers that have no place in modern healthcare regulation. Decision makers must take deliberate steps to protect and advance women’s health and well-being and enable affordable and timely access to abortion care.” 

The support for abortion rights being shown in cities across Europe mirrors a broader trend of legal progress across the region. The Center for Reproductive Rights’ 2026 update to Europe Abortion Laws: Policies, Progress and Challenges shows that progress is continuing, while underlining the need for continued vigilance to protect these advances and prevent regression. 

In the past year, Luxembourg became the second country in Europe to explicitly enshrine the freedom to access abortion in its Constitution, while legal changes in England and Wales ended the criminalisation of women for obtaining their own abortions outside legal pathways. Across Europe, countries continue to strengthen legal protections, decriminalise and legalise abortion, and remove barriers to care. At the same time, significant barriers remain across the region, with outdated criminal, procedural and financial restrictions continuing to delay, obstruct or deny access to timely, affordable and good quality abortion care. 

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MEDIA CONTACT:  Mihela Kralj, Senior Communications Manager for Europe, Center for Reproductive Rights: [email protected], +41 22 552 26 29