A group of lawmakers recently approved an amendment aimed at improving the way political parties and trade unions handle complaints related to sexual and gender-based violence. The amendment, which was discussed as part of a broader law titled providing a comprehensive response to the phenomenon of sexual and gender-based violence against women and children, was introduced by deputy Bertrand Bouyx from the Horizons party. It received support from Karim Benbrahim, a rapporteur from the Socialist group. The amendment calls for political parties and unions to set up, within a year, a system to prevent, collect, and address reports of such violence. The amendment emphasizes that while these internal mechanisms are important, they do not replace existing legal or administrative processes. It outlines several steps that organizations must take, including collecting and preserving complaints, informing complainants of their rights, protecting victims from retaliation, and conducting internal investigations while respecting confidentiality. It also mandates that if the person involved in a complaint holds a position of power within the organization, the investigation should be carried out by an independent body not under their control. The amendment also requires that the effectiveness of these mechanisms be reviewed every year by the Authority for the Fight Against Sexual and Intrafamily Violence, an organization established by the proposed law. This authority will assess whether the new procedures are being implemented properly and are making a difference. Lawmakers are expected to finish reviewing the proposed law by Wednesday. Once finalized, the law will be debated in the full National Assembly starting on October 1. This debate could mark a significant step in addressing the issue of sexual and gender-based violence within political and labor organizations.