"Italy's baby blues not just a question of fertility"

http://youtu.be/7pMQak4O2yw/
2:23 Euro News

Italy is marking Fertility Day to promote family planning and parenthood.

http://www.euronews.com/2016/09/21/italy-s-baby-blues-not-just-a-question-of-fertility/

The state sponsored campaign is the brainchild of health secretary Beatrice Lorenzin.

The manner of the campaign and the promotional images used has raised concerns that the Italian government sees women as baby making machines.

There is no doubt that Italy’s low birth rate and aging population are a threat to its economic future.

In fact the country has the lowest birth rate in Europe and the reasons are not just related to fertility issues, as the government appears to believe, but employment prospects and social services.

The government has a more practical role to play if the Italy is to deliver more children.

Franca Maino is from the University of Milan:“Italy doesn’t help young couples and doesn’t invest enough in family policies; data on social spending,shows that Italy invests less than 4% of its GDP on children; Italy has failing social services, especially for children. Plus Italy hasn’t invested enough in projects, which reconcile work and family life”

Solid state support bolsters families and here there are discrepancies between Italy, France and northern countries.

Franca Maino sings the praises of French policies:“France has implemented a series of measures, parental leave being a succesful example of family support policy. The CESU is another, a universal voucher, which enables parents to purchase family related services at a reduced price.”

A key component in a nations birth rate is the number of women in work, the more women in work the higher the birth rate.

Franca Maino continues:“When we compare data we see that families with two incomes can plan a family in a more rational, considered and secure environment.”

In July, unemployment in the country was 11.4 percent the fourth-highest in the 28-member European Union.


Ad put out by Italy's Health Ministry promoting Fertility Day. Ministero della salute via Twitter
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Italy's Fertility Day Falls Flat Amid Claims of Sexism, and racism.

Fertility Day was aimed at helping Italians "get busy" to boost the country's record-low birthrate, but the nationwide drive culminating Thursday delivered little more than controversy.

The first signs of fertility furor surrounded an ad campaign launched ahead of events exploring reproductive health that sparked allegations of sexism and racism.
Image: Ad put out by Italy's Health Ministry promoting Fertility Day

Ad put out by Italy's Health Ministry promoting Fertility Day. Ministero della salute via Twitter

The Health Ministry posted tweets in August showing a young woman holding an hourglass under the slogan "Beauty knows no age, fertility does." Another warned: "Hurry up! Don't wait for the stork."

The posts and pamphlets drew scorn and condemnation on social media, with critics saying people needed help finding work — not boosting their fertility.

"According to Italy's survey agency, women dream of having two children, but only give birth to 1.3 on average. They need work and help to families," leading newspaper La Stampa wrote in a front-page story.

Instead of backtracking, Italy's Health Ministry published another pamphlet with two images on its cover. One showed two smiling white couples on the seaside under the slogan: "Good habits to promote."

The second photo showed a white woman sitting with a drinking black man and a black woman appearing to smoke a marijuana. The accompanying slogan read: "Bad company to leave behind."

Users soon began to post messages under #fertilityfake as well as the official hashtag #fertilityday.

At first the ministry was unrepentant, defending the campaign and saying on its website that "racism is in the eye of the beholder." It later withdrew and pamphlet and removed the employee responsible for it.

That did little to stem the backlash, which continued right up through Thursday's events. Protesters turned out with signs saying they were "expecting" jobs and salaries, not babies.
Image: 'Fertility Day


A protester holds a sign reading 'I am expecting income!' on Thursday
While perhaps bungled, there are reasons behind government's effort at boosting fertility.

Recent statistics show Italy has the European Union's lowest birthrate, with eight babies born for every 1,000 residents. One couple out of five has difficulties in conceiving naturally, according to the Italian Ministry of Health.

Ugh... this is a shame. I really wanted to read WOMEN's views on this.