French elections focus on women, Segolene

French election sheds light on women (AP)

AP - France has championed the Rights of Man for centuries but didn't give women the right to vote until the end of World War II — decades after Turkish and Soviet women were casting ballots. Things aren't much better today: Afghanistan, Iraq and 83 other countries have a larger ratio of women in parliament than France. That's why Segolene Royal's fight for the French presidency is so pivotal — and, she says, so tough.