Many battles remain to be fought

Even today, in 2015, the situation of Martinican women is not equal to that of men. If in 70 years, many advances have helped the emancipation of women, the fact remains that the situation of women is still at many levels lower than that of men.

Some figures on women in the Martinican population and the working population

In 2019, Martinique had 166,515 men, compared to 196,969 women. They thus represent 54.2% of the Martinican population (2019 figures, INSEE). This was largely due to the increase in life expectancy and the fact that women live longer than men.

The distribution of men and women is relatively fair within age groups ranging from 0 to 24 years old, but from the age of 25, the proportion of women is higher than that of men, in particular between 30 and 54 years old, and from 75 years old. They are also in the majority of the working population (53% are women against 47% men, 2019 figures from INSEE).

The fertility rate of women fell from 5.47 children per woman after World War II (1952, start of the study of the population of French departments with statistics stored in computers) to 1.94 ( Insee 2019 figures) child nowadays. The Martinican average is therefore almost similar to the national average (1.88 children per woman in 2019). The decline in the number of children per woman can be explained by more effective contraception than 70 years ago, the work of women and the fact that women are increasingly pursuing higher education, thus reducing the age of first pregnancy (29.2 years in 2006 (INSEE figures) compared to 26.7 years in 1946).

If in the post-war period, the pregnancy (ies) marked the end of women's professional activity, today there is no real impact on this criterion. The family policy implemented at the national level (laws prohibiting the dismissal of a pregnant woman in 1980, maternity leave in 1970, family social benefits, "third child policy": sharp increase in social benefits after the third child) has promoted the employment of women who continued to have a job after their pregnancy(s).

The life expectancy of women is higher than that of men, 84.7 years (85.6 national average) against 78.6 years (79.7 national average). It should be noted that the Martinican population is aging because many retirees from Martinique return from metropolitan France or metropolitan retirees (heliotropism) while a large proportion of young people leave the island for the metropolis (BUMIDOM 1963 to 1981 then 2000s to today) or other destinations (Canada, United States, Europe excluding France) faced with the lack of employment due to the economic specificities of the island and/or the absence of certain student streams locally. Thus, if 36% of Martinican women were under 15 in 1974, they were only 19% of the total in 2007 (INSEE figures) when the number of women over 65 over the same period tripled!

This expatriation of young people is not temporary because few return to Martinique once their diploma has been obtained. This phenomenon means that the population of Martinique has been declining from year to year, losing nearly 4,000 inhabitants each year since 2010 (census figures).

Inequality in higher education and wages

Although more present on the benches of universities and having graduated from higher education, women remain confined to less prestigious positions concerning their educational level. 66% of Martinican women aged 25 to 34 (2012 INSEE figures) hold a baccalaureate or a higher education diploma (note 1 in 10 women in 1974) compared to 55% of men who opt for the more frequently for professional fields, figures similar to the national average.

After the Baccalaureate (high school diploma), women generally opt for more general studies (human sciences, literature, foreign languages, economics, law) than for technical fields (except hotels, restaurants, tourism, communication, early childhood, nursing) or science (mathematics, biological and physical sciences). Sectors reminiscent of "men's trades" (automotive, mechanics, refrigeration and air conditioning, etc.) are not very popular.

Despite this gap between the proportion of graduates and graduates, the highest family incomes remain those of men. They occupy the most senior positions within companies (managers, company directors, senior executives, company directors). For the same job, Martinican women receive 2,400 euros in annual salary, less than men. For executives, the difference is 9,000 euros per year compared to their male colleagues. Worse, they represent 56% of the unemployed population against 44% for men (unemployment figures January 2015).

Economic and political under-representation

With a tertiary sector dominating the local economy (74% of female employment), women remain confined to the lowest positions in the hierarchy (administrative employees, cashiers, saleswomen) or positions recalling their role as mothers or of women (restaurants, hotels, education, medical staff (infirmary, nursing assistants, midwives)). Less than a third of companies in Martinique are headed by women (30% national average, but low compared to other world economic powers), and they still have to face many clichés. A man is made to lead, to be a leader, while a woman is made to help, assist, and bring affection.

In the political sphere, the gap is even greater. Josette Manin was President of the General Council (see below) before the establishment of the Single Collectivity. Still, since then, no woman has held such a prestigious position locally. Out of 34 municipalities in Martinique, only three municipalities are headed by a woman: Jenny Dulys in Morne-Rouge (see below) and Marie-Thérèse Casimirius in Basse-Pointe, and Aurélie Nella in Ducos (photo opposite). Women occupy municipal councilor positions and are even in the majority (51% of regional councilors), the law obliging parity on all list ballots.

Regarding national mandates, things have changed a lot recently! Two Martinican women are now MPs: Josette Manin (see below), former President of the General Council of Martinique, and Manuéla Kéclard-Mondésir. Catherine Conconne, for her part, is the first female Senator of Martinique! The recent years have marked real progress for women in politics, a trend which is not observed at the national level. Indeed, the national averages are not transcendent when we look at the other world economic powers.