According to a recent INSEE survey, 25% of respondents in France still believe that in times of economic crisis, men should be given priority against women in terms of employment. This believe is based on the idea of a traditional family model with a male breadwinner. However, today in France the majority of women work full time, even when having young children, and many lone mothers are bread-winners on their own.

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The idea of the male-breadwinner is widespread especially among elderly people. While only 10% of people aged between 20 and 24 years affirm that men should be employed first during periods of economic uncertainty,  50% of people aged between 75 and 70 years agree with this statement.

The INSEE  survey also shows that despite widespread measures to promote gender equality on the labour market, many people hold on to traditional gender roles. 63% of French people, men and women, still think that women can only have a fulfilling life when having children. Among the supporters of this believe, here again elderly people outnumer younger generations.

At the same time, HALDE, a French organisation agains inequalities and discrimination,  shows that more and more women in France complain about discrimination in terms of  career and wage development at their workplace.

This discrimination that comes along with persisting conservative gender roles suggest that the French government made the right decision in January 2011, when they agreed to implement a legally binding gender quota for supervisory boards of large companies. Sometimes, progress can need a little boost!

Source: Blog author’s own contribution;  l’Express

See related article on this blog:  Gender quotas in Germany. Dare in like France?!