Gender equality

France’s conservative opposition party Les Républicains is readying itself for primary elections in November to decide who will become its candidate in presidential elections next year. In the debates, and speeches at its annual congress earlier this month, the issue of women’s rights has been placed at the fore. But not in the broad context of gender equality, rather as an argument over the issue of Muslim practices in France and the perceptions of a French ‘identity’. Ellen Salvi analyses the rhetoric, and the hypocrisy, of a new-found feminism among a party that remains firmly sexist.

Public channel France 3 was slammed over video of home chaos and abandoned domestic chores because women became presenters. 

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem last year backed an experimental reform for primary schools aimed at overcoming gender stereotyping.

France's women’s rights minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem this week revealed that some 500 companies were recently ordered to introduce gender parity at the workplace or pay hefty fines until they do. For despite legal requirements for firms to provide what the minister called ‘professional equality’ between male and female employees, women in France on average earn markedly less than men and are significantly less present in managerial posts. Dan Israel presents some of the stark facts of an outrageous discrimination, and hears from outspoken feminist and businesswoman Mercedes Erra why she believes change can only come about by imposing quotas.

Minister says 500 firms were ordered to meet legal requirements, while private-sector gap between men's and women's salaries is estimated at 27%.

A study by the World Economic Forum ranking countries by their degree of estimated gender equality places France among the very worst.