Italian
March 8th is not just a date to celebrate, but an opportunity to pause and reflect on what has been achieved and what still needs to be done to build a more fair and safe society for women. Gender equality is not a goal already reached, but an ongoing challenge: even today, women face discrimination in the workplace, obstacles in their careers, and in the most extreme cases, violence and femicide.
In recent years, the issue of gender-based violence has forcefully returned to the center of public debate, often unfortunately following tragic news events. Over 120 women were killed in Italy in 2023, and the numbers show no sign of decreasing. Giulia Cecchettin, brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend, has become the symbol of a tragedy that occurs all too often. Before her, there were Sara Di Pietrantonio, Alessandra Matteuzzi, Carol Maltesi, and many others. These are not sudden deaths, not acts of impulse or momentary madness: they are the result of a culture that still struggles to recognize women as fully free individuals, entitled to choose, to say no, to live without fear.
But physical violence is only the most extreme manifestation of a broader issue. Gender inequalities still permeate many aspects of daily life. In the workplace, women earn on average 20% less than men, are often excluded from top roles, and are still forced to choose between a career and a family.
In Italy, only 55% of women work, one of the lowest rates in Europe, due to a system that still places a significant portion of the burden of family care on them. Nurseries are inadequate, paternity leaves are limited, and unfortunately, policies to support parenthood are still weak.
Progress in the social and cultural sphere is slow as well. Gender stereotypes continue to influence the education and upbringing of new generations. Even today, girls are taught to be kind and accommodating, while boys are instilled with a model of strength and dominance that, over time, can lead to difficulty in accepting rejection, engaging in equal dialogue, and respecting others’ choices. It is precisely on these aspects that we need to work: equality is not only built through laws, but above all through a profound cultural and educational change.
March 8th should not be a day of rhetoric or easy celebrations, nor a day of opposition between men and women. It should be a moment of awareness and collective commitment. Change involves everyone, because a fairer and more respectful society is an advantage for all. Respect and equality must be shared values and transmitted from childhood, so that the future is a place where this day is no longer necessary.
