Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Italy on Gender Architecture, Ask About Human Trafficking and Gender Parity in Politics

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today reviewed the eighth periodic report of Italy, with Committee Experts commending the State on its robust gender architecture, while asking questions about human trafficking and gender parity in politics. 

A Committee Expert commended Italy on its gender architecture, which was in accordance with the Convention.  The gender architecture was composed of the Ministry of Equal Opportunities, the Department on Equal Opportunities directly linked to the Prime Minister, and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights.  The political and institutional structure was robust but complex.

Another Committee Expert said Italy was at the forefront of the reception of refugees.  Many women were trafficked during several parts of their journey.  How did the State party guarantee these women’s access to protection in all circumstances?  Were non-governmental organizations permitted to run interviews with trafficked persons to assist them?  How was individualised risk assessment conducted before forced removals?  How would the State party implement a referral and identification process throughout Italy and strengthen the capacity of the reception system? 

One Expert regretted the slow progress made by Italy regarding political representation.  The 2017 electoral law imposed a 40 per cent quota on electoral lists. However, these rules were not respected. There were fewer female members of parliament in this term, compared to the previous one.  Why was there not a fifty-fifty parity?  What measures did the State party plan to take to encourage parity at all levels?  How many standing committees in parliament were chaired by women? 

The delegation said a coordinated approach was carried out to identify cases of trafficking and victims, and to protect potential victims.  The most important step was to coordinate forces at the time of receiving migrants on the shores.  Police forces were present in all 106 provinces and had been acting in cooperation with other entities.  When victims were identified, they were approached with interpreters and cultural mediators.  Victims could then be taken to shelters, which had been created to protect trafficking victims.  The International Organization for Migration carried out interviews with cultural mediators. 

The delegation said there had been a decrease in the representation of women in parliament.  However, the first elections after the reform had reduced the number of members of parliament, so it was difficult to precisely compare data. There was a female Prime Minister in Italy for the first time, and the leader of the opposition was also a woman, showing that women representation was present in political life in Italy. Significant measures and initiatives had been carried out during elections to allow women to participate more. The trend was positive and further improvement was expected to finally achieve a fifty-fifty balance. 

Fabrizio Petri, President of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Human Rights of Italy and head of the delegation, presenting the report, said Italy had adopted concrete policies to strengthen gender mainstreaming in all its actions and measures, including by integrating the gender perspective throughout the national recovery and resilience plan.  Italy had adopted its first national strategy for gender equality 2021-2026.  The 2024 budget law provided for a total allocation of 141 million euros for the Department of Equal Opportunities, of which more than 96 million euros were dedicated to the fight against gender-based violence; approximately 20 million euros were dedicated to the fight against human trafficking; and 18.5 million euros were intended for expenditure on interventions for the promotion of equal opportunities, training of housewives and house-husbands, and the implementation of the national strategy for gender equality.  A new kindergarten bonus had also been introduced and greater maternity and paternity protection. 

In concluding remarks, Mr. Petri thanked the Committee for the dialogue which had been extremely interesting.  It had been an honour to provide the Committee with information about Italy’s ongoing efforts. 

Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which helped them to better understand the situation of women and girls in Italy.

The delegation of Italy was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Education and Merit; the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies; the Ministry of Health; the Senate of the Republic; the Chamber of Deputies; the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation; the Presidency of the Council of Ministers; the National Institute of Statistics; the Authority Guarantor on Communications; and the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-seventh session is being held from 29 January to 16 February.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Friday, 2 February, to consider the sixth periodic report of Turkmenistan (CEDAW/C/TKM/6).

Report

The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Italy (CEDAW/C/ITA/8).

Presentation of Report

FABRIZIO PETRI, President of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Human Rights of Italy and head of the delegation, said Italy attached great importance to the promotion of gender equality and the fight against all forms of discrimination against women and girls in all its governmental actions.  The State had adopted concrete policies to strengthen gender mainstreaming in all its actions and measures, including by integrating the gender perspective throughout the national recovery and resilience plan.  Italy had adopted its first national strategy for gender equality 2021-2026.  The Italian Government had invested in reinforcing its collaboration with the business sector, introducing the gender certification system, and increasing economic support for families. 

Italy had adopted many measures to improve the prevention of gender-based violence and the protection of its victims, and to ensure prosecution for its perpetrators.  It was working with civil society at the local level and increasing the economic resources allocated to the cause.  For the first time, a specific focus was dedicated to the early detection of violence, including economic violence, and to the provision of economic support for victims and survivors.  The national strategic plan on male violence against women 2021-2023 continued to apply until the new plan, currently being drafted, was adopted.  For the first time, in 2022, Italy had appointed a woman as President of the Council of Ministers.  Women elected to parliament accounted for approximately 33 per cent, placing Italy just above the European Union average.

The 2024 budget law provided for a total allocation of 141 million euros for the Department of Equal Opportunities, of which more than 96 million euros were dedicated to the fight against gender-based violence; approximately 20 million euros were dedicated to the fight against human trafficking; and 18.5 million euros were intended for expenditure on interventions for the promotion of equal opportunities, training of housewives and house-husbands, and the implementation of the national strategy for gender equality.  A new kindergarten bonus had also been introduced and greater maternity and paternity protection.  The allowance paid from the second month of parental leave up to the child's sixth year of life was increased to 60 per cent of the salary, compared to the current 30 per cent.

The Equal Opportunities Department had finalised a mapping exercise aimed at updating the information on anti-violence centres and shelter houses nationwide; it was published in March 2023. The adoption of law no. 53 in May 2022, which aimed at enhancing data collection through a systematic approach, would seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence, nature and patterns of violence, enabling policymakers and researchers to develop targeted interventions and policies.  A variety of other legislative measures had been implemented to combat gender-based violence in Italy, including law no. 206/2021, delegating the Government for the efficiency of the civil trial and urgent measures for the proceedings in the field of personal and family rights; law no. 20 of March 2023, which added the crime of coercion or induction to marriage, and allowed the judiciary to grant a residency permit to allow the victim to escape violence; law no. 122 of 2023 on the powers of the Public Prosecutor, concerning the taking of information from victims of domestic and gender-based violence; and law no. 168 of November 2023 entitled provisions for combatting violence against women and domestic violence.

The Ministry on Education and Merit had adopted the guidelines for science, technology, engineering and maths disciplines, with the aim of developing and strengthening science, technology, engineering and maths’ digital and innovation skills in all school cycles, from kindergarten to secondary school.  The aim was to boost enrolment in tertiary science, technology, engineering and maths curricula, particularly for women. 

Analysis by the Ministry of Health covered hospitals’ admissions of women victims of violence.  Against this background, the national guidelines for health authorities and hospital authorities on rescue and socio-health care for women victims of violence provided guidance on intervention in the treatment of the physical and psychological consequences that male violence caused to women's health.  Italy had also undertaken an important reform on disability.  The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities had been law in Italy since 2009 and its principles were implemented through norms, measures and reforms, directly involving the different institutional levels.  In 2023, the first stage of the awareness-raising campaign, “the victims of hatred", took place in the city of Taranto where a conference was held. On the International Day of Persons with Disability, Taranto National Police had launched a card for users with disabilities who wished to access police services.

Questions by Committee Experts

NICOLE AMELINE, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Italy, said the Committee had high expectations of the dialogue.  What measures had been taken to deal with converging jurisprudence, particularly the right to a fair trial?  How were judges properly trained in the Convention?  Had the 2021 legislation on sexist advertising been beefed up?  Had specific sanctions been applied to combat hate speech and sexist behaviour?  How was it ensured that the justice system was mindful of Roma and Sinti women?  Would Italy establish a new model which welcomed migrants with proper integration and legal support?  Was Italy contemplating a new plan on women, peace and security to accommodate the hosting of millions of Ukrainians?  What was being done in terms of ongoing peace negotiations, bearing in mind the many global conflicts?  It was important for Italy to consider a participatory space for non-governmental organizations.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Convention played a fundamental role when it came to Italian jurisprudence.  The provisions of the Convention were primary norms for Italy and applied in Italian jurisprudence.  They had a fundamental role and could be directly applied, and could constitute parameters to argue that some current norms were potentially unconstitutional.  For example, when it came to gender-based violence, Italian judges and the Supreme Court often referred to international treaties and the Convention.  Several jurisprudence cases, both in civil and penal proceedings, directly mentioned the Convention. 

Italy had a strategy on gender equality which was first adopted in 2021.  Italy was working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to identify violent cases in the migration system.  Italy had a comprehensive system on gender-based violence which had been operational since 2017.  The databases within the system were up to date.  An article had been enacted to protect consumers against discrimination online.  A reform involved changes both in civil and criminal law, with the aim to expedite proceedings and reduce backlogs.  In the first quarter of 2023, the State had managed to reduce the turnaround times for civil trials by 19.2 per cent and 29 per cent for criminal proceedings.

Migrant women represented 50 per cent of non-European people in Italy.  There were significant regional disparities in Italy.  To reduce gender-based violence in line with the Convention, the Italian Government held direct exchanges with the regions through several working groups.  Regional representatives were also present in the Observatory on Gender-based Violence. An increased amount of 20 million euros had been allocated to create shelters for victims of gender-based violence. Italy planned to open more information points for victims of violence, including in areas where there were none. A portal had been opened for victims of crimes, which allowed the State to acquire better information that allowed them to define their policy.  Gender-based violence was a complex phenomenon and needed to be addressed on many levels.  It was important to focus on the language used in the media when it came to reporting on legal cases of gender-based violence.

Questions by Committee Experts

NICOLE AMELINE, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Italy, said it was important to focus on how Italy could re-balance its measures between the regions.  Judges and law enforcement officers should be provided with systemic training on the Convention.  Could the State confirm that a long-term strategic approach was being taken concerning migrant victims of violence?  Because of refoulment, migrants may not be able to benefit from aid; what was the State’s view on this?

A Committee Expert asked how was access to justice guaranteed for women who did not have legal capacity? 

A Committee Expert commended the State party on the gender architecture, which was in accordance with the Convention. The gender architecture was composed of the Ministry of Equal Opportunities, the Department on Equal Opportunities directly linked to the Prime Minister, and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Human Rights. The political and institutional structure was robust but complex.  Did it require a specific coordination mechanism, aiming for territorial equality and national coherence?  Was the funding for public training programmes in the police and justice sectors sustainable within public administrations and the judiciary?  Was the creation of a National Human Rights Commission, responding to an institutional and democratic requirement, in progress?  Was there a prioritised reorientation of development policy towards emigration countries, considering equality?  Was the Government developing policies for digital evaluation and impact measurement of public policies, especially in environmental matters affecting women?

Another Expert said Italy had the highest share of involuntary part-time employment among women.  In Italy a mere 25 per cent of leave was allocated to fathers. The situation might be changed by introducing temporary special measures as well as paternity leave.  Gender inequality was evident when it came to health care in Italy.  What temporary special measures were introduced to gain equal access to health care for the advancement of women?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said competencies were allocated between the State and the regions.  Violence fell under the remit of the regions.  Gender balance documents had been included in Italy’s budget law for the first time.  At present, five different draft laws and bills had been submitted to parliament and were under discussion.  Italy had a Ministry which dealt with disability issues.  Important reform was underway in Italy.  One key area was digitalisation. 

A monitoring system was in place to ensure the working conditions in workplaces.  A new tool had been implemented which aimed to create a better cultural environment at work through increased awareness of gender issues. Maternity was a focus and needed to be integrated in the work life.  The goal was to combat gender-based stereotypes.  Public companies on the stock market were monitored by the State, and the results were quite positive.  The culture was changing within companies and people were more aware about the importance of involving women.  A temporary measure raising the gender quota of women to two fifths in public companies had been introduced. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert noted the State party’s development in national legislation and policy.  However, a marked contrast existed between the legal guarantees and practice.  What efforts did Italy undertake to enact comprehensive strategies with proactive measures to eliminate gender stereotypes?  What concrete training was in place for the judiciary?  What measures were in place to combat gender stereotypes?  The Committee was concerned about the high levels of violence against women.  It was commendable that the State party was improving the data on gender-based violence.  What data would be collected, and would it be public?  There had been an alarming number of femicides in Italy. What were the findings of the commission to investigate femicides?  What changes had been proposed and implemented?  Did the increase in the number of judges and the legal reform include enhanced training in the field of combatting violence?

Italy was at the forefront of the reception of refugees.  Many women were trafficked during several parts of their journey.  How did the State party guarantee these women’s access to protection in all circumstances?  Were non-governmental organizations permitted to run interviews with trafficked persons to assist them?  How was individualised risk assessment conducted before forced removals? How would the State party implement a referral and identification process throughout Italy and strengthen the capacity of the reception system?  Nigerian women remained extremely vulnerable to trafficking.  Did the national action plan foresee specific tools to address this? What was being done to monitor and combat prostitution?  Were support systems for women wishing to exit prostitution operational? 

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said a specific analysis was being prepared on gender-based stereotypes.  Training was provided to any operator addressing the victims of violence, including judges, lawyers, psychologists, physicians and doctors, among others.  A survey had been conducted relating to stereotypes for children aged 11 to 19 years, which had shown a reduction in gender-based stereotypes.  There had been a reduction in physical violence and a reduction in stereotypes relating to the responsibility of women.  An institution monitored information online from social media and could see there was less hate speech content, and more indignation. There were certain dynamics feeding domestic violence, and a part of it was related to pornography and prostitution. Italy was aware that certain language was used on social media, and was trying to understand how to remove gender-based biases.

The supreme school for the judiciary organised several training courses on gender-based violence.  Every year the Ministry of Justice gave indications for the school on how to train magistrates when it came to violence against women. Migrants without permits who were victims of gender-based violence, trafficking, or prostitution were permitted to stay for an additional year in Italy without documentation.  A coordinated approach was carried out to identify cases of trafficking and victims, and to protect potential victims. The most important step was to coordinate forces at the time of receiving migrants on the shores.  Police forces were present in all 106 provinces and had been acting in cooperation with other entities.  When victims were identified, they were approached with interpreters and cultural mediators.  These people had been victims themselves and were therefore able to establish a relationship based on trust.  Victims could then be taken to shelters, which had been created to protect trafficking victims.  The International Organization for Migration carried out interviews with cultural mediators. 

The national plan against human trafficking was established in 2022; it identified the areas when it came to awareness raising, prevention and social integration of the victims.  A steering committee had been established with several institutional actors, and technical meetings were held to decide what needed to happen at the operational level.  The commission against femicide was created in 2018 and had produced a series of important reports.  Information for victims was essential.  An article had been introduced in the Criminal Proceedings Code, which provided for the victim to be informed about their rights so they could access justice and be protected.  Several prosecutors’ offices used a template to inform victims of abuse with clear language.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said the low number of child victims identified as victims of trafficking was a concern. How did the State party plan to identify further victims who were being exploited? 

NICOLE AMELINE, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Italy, asked for an evaluation of the decree to combat trafficking?  What was the code of conduct for non-governmental organizations taking part in rescue at sea operations?  Would the State step up checks and controls in certain businesses, particularly in the south of Italy?

A Committee Expert asked what steps were being taken to prevent the harassment of families of victims of gender-based violence.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said specific skills were required to identify trafficking victims.  An average of 500 cases were reported every year, with varying numbers of victims.  More specific data on the number of victims would be provided.  Italy had been working to address labour exploitation, particularly in the agricultural sector, with a national strategy to combat labour exploitation.  This strategy involved vulnerable, foreign citizens.  Initiatives aimed at fighting and preventing exploitation of victims had been developed.  A national plan was in place to combat informal work. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert regretted the slow progress made by Italy regarding political representation.  The 2017 electoral law imposed a 40 per cent quota on electoral lists.  However, these rules were not respected.  There were fewer female members of parliament in this term, compared to the previous one. Why was there not a fifty-fifty parity? What measures did the State party plan to take to encourage parity at all levels?  How many standing committees in parliament were chaired by women? Were sanctions taken on sexist speeches or aggression within parliament?  What measures had been taken by the Government to increase the number of females within the police?  What was being done to address the low levels of females in local and regional councils?

NICOLE AMELINE, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for Italy, asked if there were speedier processes for regularising nationality?  How were the most vulnerable sectors of the population accommodated in this regard, including the Roma?  Could more information about the programme for the Roma be provided? 

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said there had been a decrease in the representation of women in parliament.  However, the first elections after the reform had reduced the number of members of parliament, so it was difficult to precisely compare data. There was a female Prime Minister in Italy for the first time, and the leader of the opposition was also a woman, showing that women representation was present in political life in Italy. Significant measures and initiatives had been carried out during elections to allow women to participate more. The trend was positive and further improvement was expected to finally achieve a fifty-fifty balance. 

The delegation said there had been some improvement regarding female presence on the boards of directors of listed companies, with women comprising 42. 9 per cent of all decision-making positions.  Younger generations were becoming more significantly involved in leadership roles. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said many of the questions had not been answered, including on parity, women in parliament, sanctions, and feminist foreign policy.  Could answers be provided in writing?

Another Committee Expert said the Committee welcomed Italy’s vision for gender equality, which recognised equal access to education.  It was also recognised that cultural barriers and gender stereotypes had been removed to ensure equal access to science, technology, engineering and maths opportunities.  What strategy was in place for updating textbooks and school curricula on equality? What drastic measures could be taken to bridge the gap in technological and mathematics learning?  What was the target result for the inclusion of marginalised populations in education, including Roma children and women and girls with disabilities?  What actions were being taken to increase the number of women university professors?

One Committee Expert congratulated the Government of Italy for achieving the largest overall increase on the gender equality index.  However, between 2022 and 2023, Italy ranked seventy-ninth on the global gender pay gap report, and ranked last in Europe when it came to female employment.  Could examples be provided of programmes which targeted the regional differences in supporting women’s access to paid employment? Were there plans to increase accessibility to services such as creches and after school care?  Were there plans to increase the amount of paternity leave offered?  Were measures in place to target the stereotypes which deterred fathers from taking longer leave?  What measures had been integrated into the artificial intelligence plan to ensure gender balance?  How was data on sexual harassment collected?   

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said girls were not as highly represented in some fields, including technology; 600 million euros had been allotted to improve the preparation of science, technology, engineering and maths subjects with a gender perspective.  Special attention was being paid to combatting gender-based violence in the field of economics and financial services.  Often young girls did not study science, technology, engineering and maths subjects due to gender-based stereotypes.  To combat this, a set of guidelines had been published, which included 30 hours of mandatory orientation sessions to be integrated into normal school hours.  Scholarships were financed by the Ministry of Education which focused on disadvantaged pupils.  Around 40 million euros each year were dedicated to this.  It was ensured that the needs were met at a regional level. The Ministry of Education did not intervene directly when it concerned the content of school textbooks, but there were clear guidelines and recommendations.  Currently, sexual education was not compulsory.  In science education, a part of sexual education was also conveyed. 

A law had been introduced which aimed to provide a better balance in parental roles, enabling the burden to be shared equally.  A compulsory paternity leave had been introduced as an experimental measure and it had now become a structural measure in Italy.  This measure was very important because in Italian culture, fathers tended to avoid using paternity leave.  New mothers received three months maternity leave.  A paternity leave policy had been introduced of three months for fathers, which could not be transferred to mothers.  There was also an additional three months available to either mothers or fathers. 

Anything which could make a career more difficult in the workplace was considered discrimination.  In addition to the definition of sexual harassment, there were also provisions forcing employers to create a favourable working environment and guarantee good conditions.  Workers could not be sanctioned or laid off if they experienced sexual harassment.  Cases should be reported.  Workers who were victims of sexual harassment could receive counsel free of charge. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked what percentage of fathers were taking paternity leave? 

Another Expert asked what measures had been taken to recognise care givers? 

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said there was an improvement when it came to gender-based stereotypes, which was the fruit of the recent guidelines implemented in schools.  A memorandum of understanding had been established to set up initiatives in the sphere of combatting gender stereotypes in the school environment, which was a promising new approach. 

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked what measures were being taken for countering regional disparities in access to health care services and reproductive services?  Were there specific indicators for monitoring access to reproductive care and access to safe abortion for women?  Was contraception ensured for women and girls and what was being done to ensure access?  The Committee was concerned about access to safe abortion in Italy.  The right to terminate pregnancy in Italy had been in place since 1978.  Doctors had the right to abstain from abortion, and the right to conscientious objection was enshrined in the law.  Around 64 per cent of gynaecologists in Italy were conscientious objectors in Italy, including 80 per cent of doctors in the south.  When would the law on conscientious objection be revised? Did the State party intend to publish clear information on safe abortion, including access and procedures?  How would attacks by anti-choice movements be countered?  What were the measures being taken to hold those who harassed women in this way to account?  Were there concrete measures, protocols and guidelines to ensure access to health for women and girls with disabilities? 

Another Committee Expert said the measures adopted during the pandemic dealt with structural inequalities between men and women, including women losing their jobs first and facing an increase in unpaid work.  What measures had been designed to close the inequality gap?  What was being done to remove barriers for women with disabilities? What would be done for migrant women so they could have better opportunities for taking care of their children?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said a plan was in place to support healthcare in regional areas, specifically the south, including to strengthen family centres.  Waiting times for accessing abortion had been reduced, which was a positive sign.  However, a high number of gynaecologists still implemented the conscientious objection. In 2022, the Ministry of Health decided to fund a project through the control and prevention of diseases department, which was dedicated to improving access to information and abortion services, with the aim to improve data collection.  The Ministry of Health aimed to support clinics which were struggling to provide abortion services.  Contraceptive drugs were now widely available, and a prescription or medical receipt were no longer needed to obtain these medicines.  The reform of the law on disability had now been published, which aimed to ensure, among other things, access to health care for women with disabilities. 

It was understood that women migrants had special needs when it came to mental health care.  A key document published in 2023 elaborated guidelines to improve the care for people who were vulnerable within the reception system. Following the publication of this document, a technical working group had been formed which sought to create training courses for personnel through remote training opportunities. 

Women had been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and this was evident when observing the labour market. Specific measures had been included in the national plan and significant resources had been allocated to gender equality issues.  For example, 400 million euros had been allocated to support female entrepreneurs.  The Government prioritised equal opportunities in economic, social and financial terms for women to foster gender equality. Female work in the agricultural sector had not been significantly investigated.  Labour exploitations mainly affected women, particularly those with children who could be threatened by gang-masters.  The State needed to consider how to introduce significant programmes to protect persons with disabilities and allow them to have access to the same opportunities. 

In 2023, a specific fund was refinanced, which was a guaranteed fund for small and medium enterprises.  There were 56 million euros in total related to this fund.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked how Italy engaged with rural women on poverty?  How would Italy’s penal system reform incorporate the Bangkok rules? Did women in the criminal justice system have access to justice and legal counsel?  Italy was one of the largest contributors to the new loss and damage fund at COP28.  What were the strategic policies for women and girls to lead visionary strategies as agents of change when it came to climate change?  Could information on Italy’s arms trade be provided, and its impact on violence against women? 

Another Committee Expert asked how the judicial reform impacted on safeguarding women against domestic violence during family legal proceedings?  Was there a study on the joint custody reform concerning children’s wellbeing?  How correct was the allegation that women who had suffered violence were unfit to retain custody of their children?  Did courts and services dealing with family cases apply assessment procedures?  Was mediation imposed in cases of domestic violence?  What measures were taken to prevent early and forced marriage?  Did the State plan to better compensate legal aid lawyers for their services to guarantee women’s right to counsel in legal matters?

Responses by the Delegation 

The delegation said prison facilities dedicated to women were different than the ones for men.  Italy had been focusing on women inmates in recent years, including to improve the prison cells and common areas.  There were only 18 women inmates who had children within prison facilities.  They were hosted in a specific detached unit, not in the main facilities.  When a minor was involved in criminal proceedings, they could be interviewed by the judge if they were over the age of 12.  Such interviews were recorded, and the minor would be protected from any of the parties involved.  In civil proceedings, when deciding on joint custody, the judge would decide where the child would be housed and ensure both parties were protected. Nothing prevented women who were victims of violence from seeing their children, in cases of joint custody.  A judge could order one of the two parents to pay child support.  Children were permitted to have the surname of both parents if desired. 

Concluding Remarks

FABRIZIO PETRI, President of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Human Rights of Italy and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the dialogue which had been extremely interesting. It had been an honour to provide the Committee with information about Italy’s ongoing efforts. 

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which helped them to better understand the situation of women and girls in Italy.  The State was urged to take all steps to implement the recommendations of the Committee. 

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not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

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