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French giving youths a chance
11/01/2006 19:19 - (SA)
Paris - France's cabinet approved a bill on Wednesday to improve job prospects for disadvantaged young people, addressing feelings of widespread disenfranchisement that contributed to three weeks of rioting.
The "equal opportunities" bill aims to fight high joblessness in France's depressed housing projects, where youth unemployment rates are often double the national average.
One key measure will allow teenagers to enter job apprenticeship programmes at the age of 14 instead of 16.
"This is not going to be easy, one can't make changes like this in a few months or a few weeks," said labour minister Jean-Louis Borloo, who presented the bill to the conservative cabinet.
But "this is one of the few big battles that deserves to be waged".
A lack of job opportunities and systematic discrimination against minorities were cited as leading factors in the social unrest that swept the suburbs of Paris and other cities starting in late October.
The unrest - mostly arson attacks on parked cars - was concentrated in impoverished suburban housing projects that were home to many immigrants from north and west Africa and their French-born children.
At the peak, youths incinerated 1 408 vehicles in a single night.
The equal opportunities bill, which will go to parliament for approval, strengthens the powers of a French anti-discrimination authority, allowing it to fine organisations or companies up to €25 000 (about R184 000).
- AP
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