Contraception including the pill, IUDs, contraceptive patches and other methods will be free for women aged 25 and under in France from January 1, 2021.
Free birth control for all women under 25 will be available in France from Saturday, expanding a scheme targeting under-18s to ensure young women don't stop taking contraception because they cannot afford it.
The scheme, which could benefit three million women, covers the pill, IUDs, contraceptive patches and other methods composed of steroid hormones.
France announced the extension to women under 25 in September, saying surveys showed a decline in the use of contraception mainly for financial reasons.
In some developed countries, the free contraception won by women after decades of campaigning is coming under attack again from the religious right.
In the United States, former president Barack Obama's signature health reform, known as Obamacare, gave most people with health insurance free access to birth control.
Poland's conservative government has also heavily restricted access to emergency contraception as part of its war on birth control. »
