Calling French society "sick with sexism," President Emmanuel Macron said that promoting gender equality and combating violence against women would be top priorities of his government as he announced measures to crack down on sexual crimes and make it easier for victims to press charges.

Macron, speaking at a government-sponsored panel in Paris on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, said that "France must no longer be one of those countries where women are afraid" and that it was "essential that shame change sides."