The Principality of Monaco places particular importance on the issue of gender equality and the promotion of women’s rights.
Through its actions, the State aims to implement this equality in all areas, while being attentive to changes in society. Significant work has thus been ongoing for more than ten years to achieve legal equality between women and men.
This work is continuing today, under the impetus of H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince, and has led the Prince’s Government to make changes to the provisions relating to the granting of social rights, and their promotion.
The texts in force in this field have, until now, laid down the principle of the primacy of men over women. However, this approach is not in line with changes in society, which today fully recognises gender equality.
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has been leading discussions on this matter for more than a year. These discussions will be concretised in two phases:
The first phase consists of making changes to the rules that are applicable to female civil servants and Government and Commune Officials who are affiliated to the State Medical Benefits Office.
Thus, as from 1 January 2019, Sovereign Order No. 7.155 of 10 October 2018 on the granting of family allowances to civil servants and Government and Commune Officials, will enable the women concerned, who are resident in Monaco, to opt for the status of head of household and thus benefit from family allowances and other benefits, as well as health coverage for their dependants. More than 530 women are potentially concerned.
Reflecting another strong wish of the Government of Monaco, this text takes changes in family structure into account and provides that, in the event of remarriage, the mother of a child from a previous union will henceforth retain the status of head of household, whereas until now it was her new husband who was designated as such.
The reform will continue, in a second phase, for female employees in the private sector who are resident in Monaco. However, changes are required in the coordination rules laid down by the bilateral Franco-Monegasque social security agreement on the granting of rights to family benefits. A discussion with the French side will start soon in this regard.
