by Anabel Unity Sale
Women, can you imagine returning to work less than five days after having your first child? By caesarean. At the age of 43.
No; the thought of it is laughable for most women. But not for Rachida Dati, the French minister of justice. The politician is splashed across several newspaper front pages today, looking rather glamourous, on her return to work after having her daughter by caesarean section on 2 January.
Some reports are claiming she returned to work so indecently quickly on 7 January because she was worried about being sidelined in the French cabinet. Perhaps her passion for justice propelled her out of bed when most women in her position would be lucky to get out of their dressing gown.
Whatever the real motivation for her decision it is a sad indictment of the place some women feel they have in today's workplace, even one such as the French government. Yes, it is Dati's right to chose what she does with her body and how she lives her life. However, Dati maybe risking her health and well-being, and that of her baby girl, by returning to public office and a demanding role so quickly after the major surgery of a caesarean.
Readers of The Times online have been foaming at the mouth on this subject and posting comments ranging from why are female French politicians so attractive in comparison with ours to what a bad mother she is.
Having rolled his sleeves up about Gaza and Israel, French president Sarkozy should do the decent thing and instruct Dati to take the full 16 weeks' maternity leave she is not only entitled to but also needs.
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