There are women at the center of the second public intervention by the Premier Mario Draghi. A video message sent to the Equal Opportunities Commission for the conference "Towards a National Strategy on Gender Equality" in which the Prime Minister spoke about the new vaccine plan recalled the anniversary of the first lockdown. In fact, it was March 10, 200, the day in which Italy closed, becoming a large red zone for the first time".
DRAGONS ON WOMEN
Women have been and continue to be the first victims of the economic consequences triggered by the pandemic. Covid-19 has even exacerbated gender inequality and it is "also for this reason that today, International Women's Day, I want my greeting to accompany the presentation of the National Strategy for Gender Equality, drawn up by Minister Elena Bonetti, at the conclusion of a work that saw the participation of personalities to whom I warmly thank you ", said Draghi.
“In the face of the example of many exceptional Italian women in all fields, even in family life, we have a lot, a lot to do to bring the level and quality of gender equality to the European averages – he continued -. The mobilization of feminine energies, not just a symbolic acknowledgment of women's function and talent, are essential to building our nation's future. Targeted actions and profound reforms they are necessary to fully involve women in the country's economic, social and institutional life. But we must first of all change ourselves in the daily routine of family life”.
RECOVERY FOR GENDER EQUALITY
According to the Premier, "the State and local authorities will have to assist families, especially the younger ones, even when this emergency phase is over" And the tools that "we must use are various, I am thinking, among others, of parental leave, I think of the number of places in the nursery schools which sees us inferior to the European objectives, and on their territorial distribution which must be made much more equitable than it is today. All of this is the goal of this government ”, repeats the Prime Minister again.
Draghi then addressed the women directly: “I don't want to repeat today's beautiful words of the President of the Republic on the condition of women. You know how painful it is. On femicide and all forms of gender-based violence, the proposals of the parliamentary commission of inquiry are to be shared. Today, for the victims of too many feminicides and also as a reaction produced by the pandemic, a new awareness seems to be forming which finds an extraordinary opportunity in the NextGeneration EU program to become reality in government action, by my government. Among the various criteria that will be used to evaluate the projects of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan there will also be their contribution to gender equality. It is with this spirit of faith in ours, in yours, future and with the commitment of this government to conquer it, that I wish you a happy 8th March”.
PANDEMIC AND VACCINES
"The pandemic has not yet been defeated but, with the acceleration of the vaccine plan, we can see a way out not far away", said the Premier, anticipating that "In the vaccination plan, which will be significantly strengthened in the coming days, the most fragile people and categories at risk will be privileged. Waiting for one's turn is also a way to protect the health of our weakest fellow citizens". “I don't want to promise anything that isn't truly achievable – he added – My worries are your worries. My constant thought is aimed at making the action of the executive effective and efficient”.
WOMEN: THE REPORT OF THE INTERINSTITUTIONAL OBSERVATORY
Between 2011 and 2019, the presence of women in management bodies of listed companies rose from 7% to 37%. In the same period, in publicly controlled companies the increase is instead of 14%, from 11% in 2011 to 25% in 2019. Improvements were also recorded in the banking sector, where the share of women in administrative bodies is generally in growth. However, the female presence varies from 37% for women listed banks 15% for unlisted companies. Conversely, in the private companies, in which the discipline on "women's quotas" does not apply, the presence of women has grown in the same period of time at a much slower pace: in 7 years, the increase was only 2%, from 22% to 24% .
They remain almost entirely women are barred from holding the most important positions, which remain the prerogative of men. In listed companies, only 2% of women in administrative bodies hold the role of managing director. In banks it even drops to 1%.
These are the main results of theanalysis on the presence of women in the administrative and control bodies of Italian companies and on the implementation of the Golfo-Mosca law (n. 120 of 2011) conducted by a special interinstitutional Observatory, which includes the Department for Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, CONSOB and the Bank of Italy.
The report reminds that, in order to solve the problem of under-representation of women in top positions of companies in Italy, the Golfo Mosca law of 2011 and the subsequent decree n. 251 of November 2012 introduced gender balance obligations in decision-making positions and in the administration and control bodies of companies controlled by public administrations and companies whose shares are listed on regulated markets. Consob and the Department for Equal Opportunities supervise the implementation of the legislation, but the data contained in the analysis show that there is still a long way to go.
As for theand banks "At the end of 2020, the Bank of Italy put some amendments to the supervisory provisions on corporate organization and governance for consultation in order to strengthen the current regulation which already requires all banks to ensure the adequate diversification of collegiate bodies in terms of of skills, age, gender and geographical origin”, explains via Nazionale. The proposed changes provide that at least one third of the members of the administrative and control bodies of banks must belong to the less represented gender, which in the vast majority of cases is female. Further non-binding measures have also been proposed to encourage the presence of women even in the most important positions.
Going forward with the data contained in the report, it can be seen that for the corporate control bodies the dynamic is similar to that recorded for administrative bodies, ie: there has been growth over the years, but the gap in representation between men and women is still very wide. In detail. The presence of women is growing in companies that are obliged to respect gender quotas: at the end of 2019 it was 39% (from 7% in 2011) in listed companies and 33% (from 17%) in controlled companies public. The increase recorded in private companies (22% female) and in banks (18%) was much more contained.
"It follows, therefore, that in the face of an undeniable progress with respect to the situation prior to the entry into force of law 120/2011, heterogeneity remains in the female participation in the administrative and control bodies and in the decision-making processes of the companies according to the existence and nature of the regulatory constraints on gender quotas”, observes the Interinstitutional Observatory.
