The paper described French females as "champions of Europe" for producing babies and longevity. Official figures put them on a par with the Irish in terms of fertility, with 1.9 children born to each woman, compared with 1.7 in Britain or 1.4 in America. On life expectation, French women are said to vie with the Spanish, reaching an average age of nearly 84. Commentators and experts anxious for something good to say about the French model, shorter working hours, entrenched labour rights and a social security system that critics say France cannot afford, speculate that it has much to do with the supposed supremacy of womanhood. Aids to an emancipated womanhood include supervised homework sessions, subsidised holiday camps for children and generous family allowances. Even the much derided 35 hour working week plays its part, theoretically giving working mothers more time to spend with their children without losing out at work.