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France on course to close its gender pay gap – by 2234

If present trends continue, France will not close its gender pay gap until 2234, according to new research from a feminist group, published on the day when French women begin working for 'free'.

Published: 3 November 2021 13:19 CET
France on course to close its gender pay gap - by 2234
Photo: Damien Meyer/AFP

Wednesday, November 3rd at 9.22am marked the moment when French women begin working ‘for free’ until the end of the year – the symbol of the gap between wages for men and women.

And the gap is actually widening, according to research by feminist group Les Glorieuses. Economist and group founder Rebecca Amsellem told France Inter “at this rate, we’ll obtain equality in 2234”.

According to Eurostat, the gender pay gap in France went from 15.6 percent in 2015 to 16.5 percent in 2021, despite several measures implemented by the French government. 

In 2019 for instance, Equalities minister Marlène Schiappa and Labour minister Muriel Pénicaud implemented the index Egapro. Firms with at least 50 workers are now compelled to calculate and publish their gender pay gap. 

Unequal pay “reaches all women in all business sectors,” said Amsellem. “Gender pay gaps are the highest in well-paid jobs, but women are hit no matter the area”. 

“With the same job and the same experience, women are less paid than men. It’s a pay gap of about 10 percent,” Amsellem told France Inter. 

This year, women in France will be working for free from November 3rd at 9:22 a.m. until the end of 2021. 

Les Glorieuses have created the hashtag #3Novembre9h22 and a petition. 

A few months away from the 2022 Presidential elections, the group is also calling out to candidates from all parties for propositions in favour of equal pay. 

Les Glorieuses have three main propositions to reduce the gender pay gap in France:  the creation of a shared parental leave, a pay rise in sectors where women are the most numerous,  and the application of the principle of “equalconditionality” with the creation of an equal pay certificate. This means that firms will only have access to a public contracts, public subsidies or a loan from the state if they apply equal pay for equal work.

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

Factcheck: Is France really trying to ban speaking English at the Paris Olympics?

A resolution by a group of French MPs to 'say non to English at the Paris Olympics' has generated headlines - but will athletes and visitors really be required to speak French?

Published: 3 May 2024 10:10 CEST
Factcheck: Is France really trying to ban speaking English at the Paris Olympics?

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, France’s Assemblée Nationale urged organisers of the 2024 Paris Games, as well as athletes, trainers and journalists, to use French as much as possible.

Annie Genevard, the sponsor of the resolution from the right-wing Les Républicains party, expressed alarm to fellow MPs that “the Olympic Games reflect the loss of influence of our language.”

The French MP’s resolution has garnered headlines, but does it actually mean anything?

Citing examples of English slogans in international sport, she added: “The fight for the French language … is never finished, even in the most official spheres.

“Let’s hope that ‘planche a roulettes’ replaces skateboard and ‘rouleau du cap’ point break (a surfing term), but I have my doubts.”

She’s right to doubt it – in French the skateboarding event is ‘le skateboard’, while the new addition of break-dancing is ‘le breaking‘.

But what does this actually mean?

In brief, not a lot. This is a parliamentary resolution, not a law, and is totally non-binding.

The Games are organised by the International Olympic Committee, the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and Paris City Hall – MPs do not have a role although clearly the Games must follow any French domestic laws that parliament passes.

The French parliament has got slightly involved with security issues for the Games, passing laws allowing for the use of enhanced security and surveillance measures including the use of facial recognition and drone technology that was previously outlawed in France.

So what do the Olympic organisers think of English?

The Paris 2024 organisers have shown that they have no problem using English – which is after all one of the two official languages of the Olympics. The other being French.

The head of the organising committee Tony Estanguet speaks fluent English and is happy to do so while official communications from the Games organisers – from social media posts to the ticketing website – are all available in both French and English.

Even the slogan for the Games is in both languages – Ouvrir grand les jeux/ Games wide open (although the pun only really works in French).

In fact the Games organisers have sometimes drawn criticism for their habit (common among many French people, especially younger ones) of peppering their French with English terms, from “le JO-bashing” – criticism of the Olympics – to use of the English “challenges” rather than the French “defis”.

The 45,000 Games volunteers – who are coming from dozens of countries – are required only to speak either French or English and all information for volunteers has been provided in both languages.

Paris local officials are also happy to use languages other than French and the extra signage that is going up in the city’s public transport system to help people find their way to Games venues is printed in French, English and Spanish.

Meanwhile public transport employees have been issued with an instant translation app, so that they can help visitors in multiple languages.

In short, visitors who don’t speak French shouldn’t worry too much – just remember to say bonjour.

Official language  

So why is French an official language of the Olympics? Well that’s easy – the modern Games were the invention of a Frenchman, the aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin, in the late 19th century.

Some of his views – for example that an Olympics with women would be “impractical, uninteresting (and) unaesthetic” – have thankfully been consigned to the dustbin of history, but his influence remains in the language.

The International Olympic Committee now has two official languages – English and French.

Official communications from the IOC are done in both languages and announcements and speeches at the Games (for example during medal ceremonies) are usually done in English, French and the language of the host nation, if that language is neither English nor French.

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