The international study seminar organised by MCL / EFAL (Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori (Christian Workers’ Movement) / Ente Nazionale per la Formazione e l'Addestramento dei Lavoratori (National Board for the Education and Training of Workers) in collaboration with EZA took place in Matera, Italy, from 24 to 26 February 2025 on ‘The lack of employment opportunities for women in rural areas as decisive factor for depopulation - part 2’. 52 representatives of workers' organisations from Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Italy attended the event. The seminar was funded by the European Union.
The first session was opened and moderated by the President of MCL, Alfonso Luzzi, who presented the studies and also outlined the reasons for choosing Matera as a very rural region where young people, notably women, are struggling to enter the world of work. 1.325 million women owned businesses in Italy in 2023, representing 22.2% of the country's total production structure. The number of businesses managed by women also fell by 11,000 (-0.9%) in 2023, with the decline being particularly noticeable in agriculture (-6,000 businesses), manufacturing (-2,000) and trade (-8,700). These are some figures derived from data collected by Unioncamere, an organisation that monitors women entrepreneurs. Although the past year marked a stagnation in the growth of businesses managed by women, the world of women in business is nevertheless making progress in strengthening the business structure, including in the primary sector. This is demonstrated by numerous great examples of companies run by women. Women who play a key role in the economic, social and environmental growth of our planet by promoting rural and agricultural development and who contribute to food security and the protection and care of the territory can therefore be defined in every sense as rural women. The experience of this phenomenon was crucial when discussing Portugal, Spain and Albania. Speakers from these countries explained how they are addressing the issue of women's integration into the labour market and the problems of inland areas. The speakers concluded that the world of work today faces major challenges at global, European and national levels. Rural areas in particular are often disadvantaged in terms of access to services and are affected by population decline and ageing. This phenomenon is even more pronounced in Italy, Spain and Portugal than in other European countries. Add to this is the migration crisis in the Mediterranean region, which is placing additional strain on social systems. Workers’ organisations should monitor these phenomena closely.