In brief
Patrick Branco Ruivo will leave the position of director general of the Eiffel Tower at year‑end after an internal probe revealed that female staff were displaced to allow a 100‑person BAPS Hindu delegation to keep women to the outside. The incident triggered a labor strike, parliamentary condemnation, and calls for a wider investigation into gender discrimination at the icon. The Eiffel Tower authority has pledged to roll out gender‑equality training amid pressure from the National Assembly and Paris mayor. BAPS later issued a public apology, claiming its separate‑gender practices serve women’s protection, though critics decry the move as discriminatory.
Patrick Branco Ruivo, the director general of the Eiffel Tower, will resign at the end of the year after an investigation revealed that female employees were displaced to accommodate a BAPS Hindu delegation’s segregation demands.
The Paris landmark’s management said an internal probe found “operational flaws and shortcomings” that led to the “unacceptable” removal of women staff. The women were replaced by male colleagues when the BAPS group, which strictly separates men and women, requested that interactions with female staff be limited.
Staff reported that women were asked to leave their posts, barred from certain areas, and felt “humiliated.” The event prompted a strike as workers opposed the decision, and the tower closed for a day. French National Assembly president Yaël Braun‑Pivet publicly condemned the policy, while mayor Emmanuel Gérard demanded investigations into the incident.
SETE, the company that runs the tower, announced a leadership transition plan and the implementation of gender‑equality training programmes. Alongside political backlash, BAPS issued an apology, asserting its segregation policy benefits women but acknowledging the broader community’s concerns.
Paris residents and international observers continue to debate the balance between respecting religious customs and enforcing non‑discriminatory workplace practices amid the Eiffel Tower’s iconic status.
