In South Korea, a decades-old ban on abortions has been lifted after years of campaigning and legal battles against the law, which included possible prison sentences for doctors who perform abortions, and fines or prison sentences for anyone who underwent the procedure. South Korean activists celebrated as the news was announced outside a courthouse in the capital Seoul.

Lee Ga-hyun: “My friend had to use illegal drugs for a risky abortion because of the abortion law. I also wouldn’t have had much of a choice if I had became pregnant. But with today’s ruling, women like myself and my friend can live by our own free will.”