THE GUARDIAN: Najat Vallaud-Belkacem to organise conference of experts on how to contain sex-trade and human-traffickingFrance's minister for women is to organise a consultation on ways to abolish prostitution in France and Europe, she has told the Guardian.
Najat Vallaud-Belkacem [F], the high profile women's rights minister and government spokeswoman, said in an interview that she would be organising a conference of experts on how to contain the sex-trade and human-trafficking and was seeking to meet the home secretary Theresa May for input from the UK.
"Since the 19th century and the role of [the Victorian feminist] Josephine Butler, Britain and France have been the core countries in the international mobilisation against prostitution. I really hope that these common roots are still alive," she said. She wanted a meeting with May on how Britain and France approach prostitution and human-trafficking. In France prostitution is not illegal, but activities around it are. Brothels were outlawed in 1946 and pimping is illegal. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Friday, June 22, 2012
THE INDEPENDENT: Najat Vallaud-Belkacem - the young Muslim woman at the heart of France's modern regime » | John Lichfield | Friday, May 18, 2012
