France passes sweeping gender equality law
Source: Reuters
NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - France has passed a sweeping gender equality law that eases current restrictions on abortion, encourages paternity leave and promotes gender parity at home and in the workplace.
Under the new law passed on Tuesday, women can obtain an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy without any need to cite a reason. This amends Frances current law, passed in 1975, that gave women the legal right to terminate a pregnancy only if they were in a situation of distress. The new law also bans any attempt to prevent women from obtaining information about abortion services.
At a time when women in many parts of the world, including in the United States and Spain, are seeing their rights restricted, violated, and disrespected, France has set an important example for the rest of the globe with its progressive stance toward reproductive health care, Lilian Sepulveda, director of the Global Legal Program at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.
Ensuring a womans right to control her fertility is fundamental to achieving gender equality. But passing todays law is just the first step - we now look to French policymakers to ensure women see the benefits of this historic law implemented this year.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/06/us-france-women-idUSKBN0G61OO20140806?9
Soylent Brice
(8,308 posts)That make me feel more and more like I live amongst the Christian Taliban.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)...we have to hear the right-wing cockroaches screaming their heads off, reciting some obscure Bible verse.
France says: Well, this sounds good....OK...we'll do it.
Oh Brother..
GOLGO 13
(1,681 posts)Once again showing the world how it's done.
whathehell
(29,094 posts)when it comes to gender equality, they're a little late to the party, if you will.
littlemissmartypants
(22,819 posts)Illegal for women to wear pants. So I concur with your assessment. Still a move in the right direction.
Love, Peace and the Righteous Fight.
Lmsp
whathehell
(29,094 posts)Yes, that's a tad out of step with the rest of the Western Industrialized
world. Remember the whole DSK affair?...After that, many articles
sexual harassment of female subordinates by their male subordinates
was almost a given, and a lot of French women were really fed up.
This is a step in the right direction. I hope they continue on that route.
TBF
(32,100 posts)nt
americannightmare
(322 posts)Meanwhile, much of the U.S. moves in the opposite direction.
valerief
(53,235 posts)kinda thing leads to.
pnwmom
(108,995 posts)n2doc
(47,953 posts)And if you manage to not be persuaded by all the propaganda and images they throw at you.
And if you can pay for it.
pnwmom
(108,995 posts)too, which is why until now they couldn't even get an abortion at 2 weeks unless they jumped through some hoops.