In our country, one in every five female workers leaves the labor force after becoming a mother, and 72.8% of the resignations of new parents are for women. All the while, the average number of children per woman continues to decline, and Italy is confirmed as one of the European countries with the highest average age of women at childbirth (32.5 years). The national picture, however, is not uniform: in the ranking of "mother friendly" territories, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Emilia Romagna, and Tuscany stand out, while Basilicata is at the bottom. This is what Save the Children's report "The Tightrope Walkers - Maternity in Italy" reveals, as presented in the Senate's Sala Isma. "One of the most beautiful moments in a woman's life turns into a tightrope walk, because there are so many loads in private and professional life that must be balanced, and if mothers are at a socioeconomic disadvantage, there is precisely the fear of falling, without a safety net. So, mothers who find themselves balancing in the labor market, from which they frequently escape, and then in childcare. There is a need, therefore, for structural and long-term family policies that allow them to manage their family, work, and private life in a balanced way," said Daniela Fatarella, Director-General of Save the Children.
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