On Father's Day: Love, and a Call for True Gender Equity 👨👧👦❤️⚖️

Today, as Italy celebrates Father's Day, like every year I find myself remembering the quiet, unwavering love my father showed me throughout his life, through actions, more than his words. His presence, so many years after his departure, is deeply missed.

But this day also prompts me to consider a crucial aspect often overlooked in our pursuit of a more equitable society for women.

In the strive for gender equality, we sometimes forget to focus on the importance of policies that support fathers to take responsibility for their role as caregivers.

When discussing pay parity, we tend to focus solely on financial aspects, neglecting the critical importance of equal contribution of men and women to household responsibilities.

Paternity leave is one of the key, yet frequently overlooked, factors in achieving this balance.

Gender equality isn't just about empowering women; it's about enabling men to fully participate in family life, challenging "traditional" gender roles that ultimately limit both sexes, hinder economic productivity, and set a poor example for future generations.

The INPS (Italian social security institute) president emphasises the concrete and positive effects of promoting paternity leave, fostering early bonds between father and child and contributing to a more balanced distribution of family responsibilities. This isn't just about families – it's about economics!

Italy's key financial paper - Il Sole 24 Ore - has devoted a four-page article to the topic of paternity, supporting my point that a different approach to paternity and paternity leave has positive implications for the economic growth of a country.

Paternity leave was introduced in Italy in 2012 and has expanded significantly, from 2 to 10 days. However, as highlighted by Il Sole 24 Ore, Italy's 10 days of paternity leave represent the bare minimum stipulated by the European Union directive – and we should be thankful to Europe for this crucial Directive! Other countries in Europe offer far more extensive provisions. Spain, for example, grants 16 weeks of parental leave to each parent, while Belgium offers 20 days, highlighting the role and cultural norms play to this regard as well as the political will to challenge those norms which in Italy is unfortunately not present at the moment.

By normalising paternity leave, we can create a ripple effect that promotes gender equality in the workplace, challenges traditional gender norms, and fosters stronger family bonds.

As Global Chair of the Pay Parity Wing of the G100: Mission Million , with the members we are committed to raising awareness about the importance of paternity leave in achieving pay parity.

What can we do? Here some examples but PLEASE share your thoughts: 

• Businesses: To champion robust paternity leave policies that exceed legal minimums.
• Policymakers: To implement comprehensive parental leave schemes that support both mothers and fathers equally.
• Individuals: Let’s not fall into the trap of repeating traditional gender roles simply because that’s what we have seen. Let’s think about supporting fathers in their role as caregivers and not smile or laugh when we see them doing so (it does happen in some countries, unfortunately).

That’s the way I have chosen to “use” this Father's Day. My father wouldn’t have understood at first, but he would have listened to me with interest and reminded me of all the times he took care of me/us because my mother couldn't, cooked for me/us, or brought us to the doctor…

Yes it was a man born at the beginning of the century but smart enough to let his love for his daughter and sons inspire his actions.

G100: Mission Million

Pay Parity & Corporate Transformation G100 Argentina