A/HRC/8/47 Page 8 22. In his response to questions following the dialogue, the Head of Delegation informed the meeting about the European Pact on Migration and France’s priorities for its future Presidency of the European Union. He reiterated that his Government’s priorities in this context are to improve the monitoring of borders, to organize legal migration and the removal of irregular migrants in coordination with countries of origin, and to harmonize the European asylum policy. France has already signed six conventions with countries of origin such as with Tunisia and Senegal and these conventions have already opened up professions for migrants coming to France. 23. Regarding the status of women, particularly victims of domestic violence and concerning gender equality, the representative of France referred to a two-fold approach, through legislation on one hand and through changing mentalities, mindsets or behaviour on the other hand. As regards the latter aspect, France acknowledged the importance of providing training for police and law enforcement officers to help them better deal with victims of violence, the need to have specialized investigators and psychologists, and underlined the existence of a toll-free phone line for victims. Today, an estimated 330,000 women consider themselves victims of domestic violence; this has an important economic cost. In 2004, 2006 and 2007 new laws have been adopted allowing for the removal of the violent spouse from the family home. According to a specific circular, no act of violence should remain without a response. In 2007, 83 per cent of cases led to a penal response, which constitutes a clear decrease in the number of cases in which lawsuits are dropped. Social responses are also provided and women who are victims are given priority access to public housing. France has organized a high profile awareness campaign to combat stereotypes through advertisements on television. 24. On issues related to gender and immigration, the agency for immigration has made improvements with regard to facilitating immigrants’ access to law and has produced a guidebook on gender equality with a special focus on genital mutilation and forced marriages. To avoid forced marriages, France recently established the same legal age for marriage for both sexes. France also recognized that there were still disparities in salaries between men and women, referring to a 19 per cent average gap for the same work. France has set clear objectives with an “Equality” label: disparities have to be overcome within five years. The Government will negotiate sector by sector with trade unions, with the agency for employment and all other stakeholders at all levels. By the end of 2009, companies which have not established a plan to redress inequalities between men and women will be fined. Regarding women’s representation in politics, the country is moving towards parity. There is a new legal requirement that all political parties must present equal numbers of men and women on their electoral lists, including in local elections; the non-respect of this requirement leads to paying a fine, according to the 2007 law. On the situation in prisons, France has a major reform plan and will close down obsolete prisons, since over half of them were built before 1945. 22 prisons will be built and 6,000 new beds added. Next year, a new facility will be opened every month. Sentencing will also be reformed with new ways to execute sentences, a new approach to the mission of reintegration that is devoted to prisons, the extended use of the possibility of partial releases and the development of an electronic bracelet programme. In response to questions about juvenile detention, additional specialized establishments will be built and developed. At present the already existing ones prioritize education. 25. On the question of disabilities, the representative of France stated that discrimination still exists. Nearly 10 per cent of the French population suffers from disability and laws provide for financial compensation, benefits and disability pensions. As regards access to employment, there is a strict requirement that persons with disabilities represent at least 6 per cent of the workforce, both in the public and private sectors.