Abstract
Critically low employment rates and discrimination against women by firms, despite higher academic achievement of women than men, demonstrate the great gender equality in the Italian labour market. Social structures and cultural expectations result in gender inequality in domestic work and care responsibilities, leading to obstacles in the labour market for women. A trade-off between work and family life remains the norm, affecting fertility rates and female employment, causing challenges for sustaining the economy. The Nordic countries, on the other hand, have demonstrated that through adequate work-life policies, female employment rates and fertility rates remain high. A comparison of policies affecting work-life balance between Italy and the Nordic countries demonstrates that the main discouragement for Italy lies in; 1) lack of focus on formal childcare for younger children; 2) gap between opening hours in care facilities and working hours; 3) rigid working arrangements, and most importantly; 4) lack of consideration of care responsibilities of fathers, which negatively affects women in the labour market due to a higher burden at home and social expectations of women as caretakers. The Nordic countries have, however, demonstrated the importance of highly contributed, non-transferable leave for fathers in the fight against gender equality in the labour market. Due to high gender gaps and status quo in Italy the country has further potential in unleashing economic growth through measures favouring gender equality, as the law on gender quota on boards demonstrated with great positive economic results. Measures made giving rise to greater equality in leave arrangements in Italy are, therefore, paramount to both gender equality in the labour market and economic growth.
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