Women have taken to the streets in Paris and several other cities across France to protest austerity measures and workplace discrimination against women, Press TV<\/b> reports.\n<\/p>\n
Angry protesters complained about the growing gender inequality at workplace, which they say is due to the tough government austerity measures.\n<\/p>\n
The demonstrators also demanded higher salaries for women, saying that large job cuts were taking place in the country\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s female-dominated government and social service sectors.\n<\/p>\n
\u00c5\u201cWe absolutely do not agree that [French President] Hollande has done anything to improve the situation of women. This government is all about window-dressing,\u201d said Danny Peter, with the Organization for Female Equality.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Reports say that the recent crisis in France has caused the unemployment rate to hit its highest level in 15 years, now standing at 10.8 percent. <\/p>\n
Activists say protests must continue as the French president is planning to impose more spending cuts.\n<\/p>\n
The ruling Socialist Party and the conservative opposition in France are also preparing to cut retirement benefits.\n<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a recent poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop) showed that President Francois Hollande\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s approval rating had plunged to 25 percent, making him the most unpopular head of state in modern French history.\n<\/p>\n
Commentators say Hollande\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s failure to tackle the issue of unemployment is one of the main reasons for his low approval rating. Over three million people are jobless in France.\n<\/p>\n
The worsening debt crisis in the eurozone has forced the EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms, which have triggered incidents of social unrest and massive protests in many European countries.\n<\/p>\n
SZH\/HSN<\/p>\n