Congedi genitoriali, politiche del diritto e diseguaglianze di genere. Riflessioni sul caso italiano nel quadro europeo

The aim of this essay is to analyse the Italian legal system of the so-called family or parental leave in view of the objectives concerning work-family balance policies in the European Union, with special emphasis on gender equality principles in the labour market and in family relations. For this purpose, I will take in consideration two main types of leaves that allow parents to take time off work in order to take care of their children during the first years of life: “mandatory” and “optional” leaves. One of the conclusions of the analysis is that legal regulation of parental leave in Italy, although it is quite appreciated also at the international level, is still highly traditional, operating exclusively as conciliation instrument of female roles.