"An unprecedented decline": the Women's Foundation warns of the drop in subsidies allocated to feminist associations

"Budget cuts are killing," denounces Laura Slimani, head of the project division at the Fondation des femmes . The fundraising structure for equality and combating violence against women sounded the alarm on Wednesday, August 27. In its survey conducted during the summer of 2025 among 148 associations, 71% of them told the Foundation that "their financial health is deteriorating." A situation due, according to 52% of these structures, to a reduction or non-renewal of subsidies. "We are experiencing an unprecedented decline in subsidies granted to feminist associations," denounces Laura Slimani.

The reduction in subsidies is forcing associations to limit the number of women welcomed and supported or the listening and support services offered , leaving a dramatic number of women in danger facing closed doors, due to a lack of resources to help them.

Within the associations themselves, budget cuts also produce institutional violence against social workers who are facing job cuts, delayed pay, and degraded working conditions. " Behind these figures are professionals suffering from burnout and sick leave," says Mine Günbay, director of the 39 19 issue . "Every day, center directors call us saying they can't do it anymore ."

The general director of the Information Centers on the Rights of Women and Families (CIDFF), Clémence Pajot, illustrates this situation with various examples from across France: " We estimate that around fifty layoffs or job cuts will occur across our network to avoid the cessation of payments. The CIDFF in Vienne learned in June that it would no longer receive subsidies from the Ministry of Justice this year. In Ardèche, 13 employees have been laid off in recent months. In Brittany, 15 jobs have been cut. And consequently, a permanent office as well ."

" We spend more time worrying and looking for administrative and financial solutions than fulfilling our missions, " laments Aurore Penin, director of the Deux-Sèvres CIDFF, in the survey. This mission is also entrusted by the State.

According to the survey, the origin of these budget cuts comes from 38% of departmental councils, 31% from municipalities, 26% from the Ministry of Women's Rights, "which is supposed to be the leader in the fight against violence," the Foundation points out, and 25% from regional and inter-municipal councils.

How can this decline be explained, particularly by the Ministry of Women's Rights , for which the budget remained stable in 2025? The Foundation hypothesizes that over the last 5 years, faced with the increase in support needs for women victims of violence, the State has multiplied projects and new structures. "It's a scattering," summarizes Laura Slimani, "this translates into an increase in one place and a reduction in another."

Similarly, in 2023, the State announced that it would provide program 137 for the fight for gender equality with a budget of 85 million euros in 2025. But this would be entirely devoted to "increasing funding for emergency aid for victims of domestic violence , but not for associations," points out Laura Slimani.

We must also not ignore political choices, such as that made by the Drôme departmental council, which voted to close seven sexual health centers managed by the department and a 20% reduction in its subsidy to Family Planning.

In a context of prominence of reactionary and masculinist discourse , "we have every reason to be worried about the ability to continue this fight," deplores the Women's Foundation. The latter also intends to focus its return on the coalition that it is forming, with other associations, for a comprehensive law against sexual violence.