European Social Charter: a compliant against Italy for inequal economic treatment between women and men

University Women of Europe (UWE), an association engaged in the European context for women's rights, has filled collective complaints against 15 countries for the alleged violations of the European Social Charter (revised). According to UWE, in these countries women do not perceive an equal economic treatment for their work, as they earn structurally less than men for the equal work.

Italy is one of the 15 States (compliant n.133/2016). Others are  Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Norway. For every compliants the alleged violations regard article 1 on the right to work, article 4 on equal compensation and article 20 on equal opportunities, in combination with article E on non-discrimination.

The European Social Charter collective complaints procedure system entered into force in 1998. University Women of Europe is one of the NGO allowed to submit collective complaints and enjoys a participative status with the Council of Europe. The first step of the procedure will be the assessment of the complaints’ admissibility by the European Committe of Social Rights.