Women are the answer to Italy’s crisis

Women are Italy’s engine of growth. This was the central theme of a meeting taking place in Milan, that saw the participation of leading women from across sectors, from economy, to politics, to social entrepreneurship.

Women’s contribution to welfare, employment and enterprise is decisive for  the growth of Italy. World statistics say women are an important resource for the economic development. A survey by Bocconi University  has shown that through employing  100,000  women GDP  grows by 0,28%.

The meeting was aimed at proposing  strategies to overcome the crisis by increasing women’s employment and  participation to the world of work.

Among the proposals: introduce  women’s quota in enterprises, use public procurement as an incentive to create a larger women’s employment, develop conciliation, create an Authority for meritocracy and an observatory for boards of directors, enhance microcredit, also through financial education, create a Law on microcredit, reduce taxes on women’s labor cost, refinance the Law on women’s entrepreneurship and promote a new cooperation between the social sector and entrepreneurship for a “corporate” welfare.

Speakers at the conference, promoted by Letizia Moratti, included: Lily Lapenna, founder and CEO of MyBnk, a UK based social enterprise inspired by microcredit’s principles, offering young people financial education and developing their entrepreneurial skills,  Alessia Mosca, deputy of the Democratic Party (Pd), Lella Golfo, deputy of Pdl, centre-right political party, Fiorella Kostoris, economist, and Cecilia Spanu, responsible of  Moms@work project.