"In 2010, during my speech, I had the pleasure to announce the adoption in Italy of two major action plans that now, after one year, have become reality and are a valuable aid for the participation of women in economic and social development of my country. I refer to the Plan "Italy 2020. Program of actions for the inclusion of women in the labor market "and its Plan of Understanding on the criteria for allocating resources for interventions in favor of the reconciliation of working and living, resources amounting to EUR 40 million . Both have the merit of encouraging the participation of women in the labor market, through new concrete measures, such as the creation of services for child care, economic support to those who work from home through tele-working and tax relief on the work of women in the South.
to this great plan, was followed by a number of projects aiming at promoting the principle of equal opportunities and gender mainstreaming, with particular attention to regions of Southern Italy, to improve the quality of life, women's entrepreneurship and combating social disadvantage women. Albeit in a difficult overall economic situation, then, female employment in the last year increased by 1, 4%.
I National Institute of Statistics data show positive peaks especially in the last stage of the year just concluded in December alone were registered unemployed women twenty-seven thousand less. These satisfactory results show that the measures contained in the Plan in Italy in 2020 continues a positive trend.
In 2010, the share of Italian children under 3 years of age, that is located in a kindergarten, and nearly 16%, an increase over the previous year.
companies also increased the "rose". According to the National Report on women, made by Unioncamere in collaboration with the Department for Equal Opportunities and the Ministry of Economic Development, there are 1.4 million farms "pink." In mid-2010 were 1,421,085 women-owned businesses in Italy, 21% more than the same period last year. The activities of these companies rose is concentrated in services, particularly those related to health and social care, where almost one out two, 41%, is led by a woman. Strong growth of women-led firms in southern Italy, where the percentage of companies led by women rose to 26.1%.
To promote greater female presence in the field economy, we intervened with legislation: I supported the bill, under discussion in parliament due to the introduction of "quotas" of 30 percent for the less represented gender on the boards of listed companies and, above all, the Directive 54, implemented by the Council of Ministers, which punishes with severe penalties those who discriminate against women in the workplace and, for the first time, includes among the factors discriminating against treatments suffered by those who refused unwanted behavior or sexual harassment. Employers can now be punished by a fine of 250 to 1,500 €, and if not complying with the decision finding discrimination, has established a fine of up to € 50 000 or stop up to six months. As regards access to social security benefits, it is recognized women the right to continue the employment relationship until the same age limits for men.
Regarding the main theme of this year, I would like to stress that in Italy the number of women pursuing a career in science has grown considerably in recent decades. However, only a small proportion of senior positions in the research world is occupied by women. According to the 2009 Report of the European Commission "She Figures - Statistics and Indicators on Gender Equality in Science" women represent 33% of Italian researchers (Above the EU average stands at 30%) but only 20% reach positions of leadership.
In science you find so many of the phenomena of exclusion that affect the female gender in other areas of political, economic and social development. Increase, as shown by the international index, levels of literacy of girls and young women: there is a high presence of girls in secondary schools (79 percent) far exceeds that of boys (56 percent). Not to mention that college women account for 60 percent of graduates and on average have a score higher than men. The interest of institutions stood on access and participation of women, especially middle-aged, training in the fields of science and technology, given the current context of an increasingly knowledge-based. In Italy, therefore, there remains a situation of gender inequality in these areas, and this is a weakness of research and labor market.
Aware of this, I wanted to briefly explain what has recently been done to promote and ensure the implementation of equal opportunity policies at all levels of science, technology and scientific research. I would like to bring two such important projects coordinated by my Ministry.
The "Practising Gender Equality in Science" (PRA.GES) had the merit system to make "best practices" in the field of scientific research and ended in 2009 with the publication of "Guidelines for Gender Equality in Science ", which - I am glad to inform the presidency - have been translated into Hungarian. The project Women Careers Hitting the Target "(WHIST), ending instead in July 2011, will monitor, manage and analyze the gender difference in the world of public research universities. Both projects were coofinanziati by the EU.
In September 2010, also as Minister for Equal Opportunities, I signed with the Minister of Education, University and Research, a memorandum of understanding aimed at developing concrete measures to achieve gender equality in science, to combat the under-representation of women in science, to support the career development of women, improve the representation of women in the labor market in science and in particular in decision-making.
The Protocol's main objective is the destruction of gender stereotypes and, for the same purpose, is was also established the "Week Against Violence in Schools" now in its third year, with the intention of creating a moment of reflection on the themes of respect for difference, acceptance and legality, involving students, parents and teachers system, and providing best practices implemented in Italian schools.
's commitment has also been constant, even in terms of combating gender violence. Can I add with satisfaction that for the first time my country has adopted a national plan to combat violence against women and stalking, which makes the experience of anti-violence centers in the Italian regions and the number of public utility active in this field. Already last year, the measure antistalking, which occurs in these days the second anniversary of the entry into force, was considered by many countries (Sweden, above all) a "good practice". According to the most recent, are the crimes committed 10 000 149 10 000 and 385 people complained, including 1.811arrestate. It is these numbers to confirm what was material entering into Italian law the crime of stalking, if we think that every month we reported 547 people and arrested 95.
Turning to another related theme, that of protecting the image of women in the media, even here were carried out two major operations. The Ministry for Equal Opportunities and the Institute of Advertising Self-Regulation, signed a memorandum of understanding for more effective collaboration in monitoring and withdrawal of advertising for print media or television, which degrades the image of women depictions or scenes offensive and vulgar, or that it is openly sexist. There is no form of censorship, but the goal is to put a stop to dangerous and wrong messages. The administration may request the withdrawal of an advertisement in near real time, in any case within 48 hours, completely cost-free, able to monitor the advertising in its near entirety, as the Institute of Corporate Governance is eighteen symbols of the advertising world and among the members are the major Italian network.
Also on this front, the Italian government wanted to include in the new national service contract clauses that commit the RAI state television to give a more accurate representation of the female figure. In the chapter on television offer, the Government has included the public service the transmission of programs intended to promote a more modern representation of women, with particular attention to its social growth, its constitutional rights, its role in the family, civil society institutions in the world of work.
has been provided for a similar requirement for transmission of the radio sections devoted to the theme of equal opportunities and programming for foreign countries. It also marked the commitment of RAI in the prevention and combating violence against women, through the creation and dissemination of specific programs, in collaboration with public officials.
I would like to briefly recall the now ten-year Italian commitment in the fight against female genital mutilation: precisely because of this commitment, on the sidelines of this session CSW, will host, along with some distinct personality, an event dedicated to female genital mutilation, which, I hope, will contribute to further progress towards our common goal.
Thank you for your attention. "
Mara Carfagna
Minister for Equal Opportunities
February 24, 2011
For video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_-Y6vwZhrU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXNsIUhiBVw
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