Photo: AFPSimone Veil, who died Friday aged 89, survived Auschwitz and went on to become one of France's most respected politicians, steering through landmark laws to liberalise contraception and abortion. She and her two sisters, one of whom later died in a car crash, were among only 11 survivors of 400 Jewish children deported from her region. Veil threw herself into the battle, setting up Choisir (Choose), an organisation to defend women who were prosecuted for abortion. Photo: AFPA member of the centre-right Union for French Democracy, she was named health minister under president Valery Giscard d'Estaing. The legislation -- named the "Loi Veil" (Veil Law) -- is today considered a cornerstone of women's rights and secularism in France.

Source: The Local June 30, 2017 10:30 UTC