1920s C.E.

Black-and-white photo of baby gorilla

The Belgian Congo establishes Albert National Park, Africa’s first national park

Now known as Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the park was established to protect forest habitats for local gorilla populations. In 1979, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Situated in a region deeply impacted by the effects of war and armed conflict for over 20 years, Virunga is now protected by a dedicated team of 689 rangers. These rangers go through intensive training, risking their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the Park’s exceptional wildlife.

Red and gold Soviet Union logo

The Soviet Union becomes the first modern state in the world to formally legalize abortion

In October 1920, the Bolsheviks under Vladimir Lenin made abortion legal within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic with their “Decree on Women’s Healthcare”. After the RSFSR, the law was introduced in Ukraine in July 1921 and then the remainder of the Soviet Union. The government saw legalization as a temporary necessity, as after the economic crisis and nearly a decade of unrest, war, revolution, and civil war, many women would be seeking abortions due to not being able to take care of their child.

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