The 2024 national convention of Donne Impresa took place in Rome, the movement promoted by Confartigianato and active throughout Italy to represent the specific needs of female entrepreneurs who in our country represent one of the strengths of the economic system. Italy is first in Europe for the number of entrepreneurs and independent workers, 1,610,000, but last in the EU ranking for female employment rate: 53.4% against the average of 66.1%. It stands out in Europe for another negative record: the largest number of young women between 25-34 years old, 938 thousand, who do not offer themselves on the job market. These are the salient data of a report from the National Research Office which, presented on the occasion of the 2024 Convention, highlights the lights and shadows of women’s work in Italy. Between 2021 and 2023, the employment rate of women increased by 2.4 percentage points and the number of self-employed workers grew by 4.8%, also establishing themselves in the most innovative fields with an increase recorded from 2018 to 2023 , of 13.4% of companies in the digital sectors and a small army of 28 thousand ‘pioneers’ in artificial intelligence.
But female entrepreneurs have to deal with a series of obstacles: difficulties in accessing credit, shortage of manpower and, above all, a welfare system that does not support them. Entrepreneurs, but more generally women, ‘suffer’ from low public spending to support families and young people: on this front, Italy is in 22nd place in Europe with just 1.4% of resources dedicated to this objective . In practice, compared to 12 euros for healthcare and pensions for the elderly, only 1 euro goes to families and young people. A change in policies is therefore necessary to accompany women’s commitment in the economy. (in the photo the provincial president of Confartigianato Ravenna, Emanuela Bacchilega).
