Overview

• Women aged 40–60 lose €7,862 annually and €157,245 over 20 years compared to male peers, rising to €159,000 in the private sector.
• Pay gaps stem from choices of lower-paid roles, stalled career progression, health-related absenteeism, caregiving duties and divorce.
• French women supply 23 million weekly hours of unpaid childcare, tightening midcareer financial deficits.
• Long-term effects include a 40% pension gap between genders and 75% of retirees on under €1,000 monthly being women.
• Fondation des Femmes urges the government to credit caregiving for pensions and introduce new caregiver and grandparent leave policies.