Paris (AFP)

Urged to act against the scourge of violence against women, the government launches Tuesday at Matignon a "Grenelle" that associations and relatives of victims of feminicide hope to see lead to immediate measures and increased resources.

This long-awaited meeting opens with about 100 women killed by their spouse or former partner since January 1, according to a count of a militant group, "Femicide by companion or ex".

The Ministry of the Interior has identified 121 feminicides for the whole year 2018, one every three days.

More broadly, the government wants to reduce the physical or sexual violence against some 220,000 women each year in a marital setting, according to official data.

"What will allow to act effectively (...) is a coordinated action," said Secretary of State for Gender Equality, Marlene Schiappa, during a meeting with the press.

The government will announce Tuesday its mobilization: around Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Marlene Schiappa will meet Nicole Belloubet (Justice), Christophe Castaner (Interior), Jean-Michel Blanquer (Education), Julien Denormandie (Housing) and Adrien Taquet (Protection of childhood).

"Strong announcements" will be made from the first day of the Grenelle, promised Ms. Schiappa.

About 80 people were invited to Matignon - public officials, community leaders, field workers, police, gendarmes, magistrates and lawyers, as well as relatives of victims of feminicide.

This consultation, which will end on 25 November, during the day for the elimination of violence against women, will also be declined in 91 local "Grenelles", according to Ms. Schiappa.

Associations should focus their claims around the accommodation of victims, the functioning of justice and the training of police and gendarmes, regularly accused of refusing to register certain complaints.

Feminist associations and activists also denounce a crying lack of means. The collective #NousToutes claims one billion euros to better prevent violence against women, far from the 79 million euros of appropriations specifically allocated to this fight, according to a study conducted by five organizations.

- "Special Fund" of one million -

Ms. Schiappa announced in an interview in Ouest-France, on Thursday, the creation of a "special fund" against feminicides of one million euros for "field associations", a device experienced in three regions (Pays de la Loire, Hauts-de-France and Burgundy).

But the "Grenelle of domestic violence" is not unanimous. "It does not make much sense to have a big three-month meeting to talk about solutions we've had for ten years," says Caroline De Haas, a member of the collective #NousToutes, which, unincorporated, will not participate. at the event.

"The Grenelle is a way like any other doing nothing," attacked the actress Eva Darlan at a rally on Wednesday in the forecourt of the City Hall of Paris.

"Any forum for consultation is useful and necessary," says instead Françoise Brié, director general of the National Federation of Women's Solidarity (FNSF), which points out that additional funding was provided in early July listening number 3919 operated by his organization .

In any case, the mobilization of civil society could be sustainable. The group "Femicide by companion or ex" called for a "march to the Grenelle" Tuesday. And feminist activists have already planned to go down in numbers in the street on Saturday, November 23, two days before the closing of the Grenelle.

© 2019 AFP