US embassy cable - 02ROME3031

UNCLAS ROME 003031 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR, MCAP, MOPS, PREL, PGOV, IT, NATO 
SUBJECT: WOMAN IN DEFENSE:  ITALY'S EXPERIENCE AFTER TWO 
YEARS 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  AS THE GOI ATTEMPTS TO RESTRUCTURE AND 
"PROFESSIONALIZE" THE MILITARY SERVICE, BRINGING FEMALES IN 
IS VIEWED AS ONE WAY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARMED 
FORCES.  ITALIAN WOMEN, WHETHER FOR ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03031  221235Z 
REASONS, ARE HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED 
QUICKLY INTO THE MILITARY RANKS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  THE RECENTLY FOUNDED CENTER FOR STUDY OF DEFENSE AND 
SECURITY ("CENTRO STUDI DIFESA E SICUREZZA) DEDICATED ITS 
FIRST CONFERENCE ON 19 JUNE TO THE TOPIC OF "WOMEN IN THE 
ARMED FORCES AND POLICE."  PRESIDED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
DEFENSE COMMITTEE IN THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, LUIGI 
RAMPONI, THE CONFERENCE DREW REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE 
MILITARY (INCLUDING A LARGE CONTINGENT OF UNIFORMED FEMALE 
OFFICERS), POLICE, GOVERNMENT AND PRESS. 
 
3.  ITALY IS ONE OF THE LAST NATO MEMBERS TO ACCEPT FEMALES 
IN THE ARMED FORCES.  VOLUNTARY FEMALE MILITARY SERVICE WAS 
INTRODUCED IN AN OCTOBER 20, 1999 LAW.  WITH THE OFFICIAL 
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 9.2 PERCENT AND ITALIAN WOMAN HAVING THE 
HIGHEST NUMBER OF WORKING HOURS AT HOME IN EUROPE, MANY SEE 
MILITARY SERVICE AS A WAY TO EARN A LIVING AND TO ESCAPE 
TRADITIONAL FEMALE ROLES.  WHILE MANY NEW ENTRANTS ARE STILL 
IN MILITARY ACADEMIES (ONE WOMAN IN THE AUDIENCE WAS 
APPLAUDED FOR BEING AT THE TOP OF HER CLASS), THE EXPERIENCE 
SO FAR SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN POSITIVE, WITH FEW PROBLEMS. 
 
4.  ACCORDING TO MINISTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STEFANIA 
PRESTIGIACOMO, HOWEVER, THE 1999 LAW AND SUBSEQUENT 
REGULATIONS DESIGNED TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION ARE NOT ENOUGH 
-- ITALY'S TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VIEW OF WOMEN AS HOMEMAKERS 
ALSO NEEDS TO CHANGE.  PRESTIGIACOMO SAID THAT ITALIAN 
SOCIETY AND THE ARMED FORCES HAVE ACCEPTED WOMEN WELL, BUT 
THAT THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK IS LAGGING.  SHE SUGGESTED 
THAT, DRAWING ON THE EXPERIENCE OF INTERNATIONAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03031  221235Z 
ORGANIZATIONS, THE GOI CAN MAKE NUMEROUS SMALL CHANGES IN THE 
AREAS OF INSURANCE, SCHOOLING, AND HOUSING THAT WILL LEVEL 
THE PLAYING FIELD FOR WOMEN WHOSE MILITARY CAREERS WOULD 
OTHERWISE ENTAIL GREAT SACRIFICES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR 
FAMILIES.  CITING THE EXAMPLE OF ONE WOMAN WHO LOST HER PLACE 
ON THE ADMISSIONS LIST BECAUSE SHE BECAME PREGNANT, 
PRESTIGIACOMO STRESSED THAT THE MILITARY MUST BECOME MORE 
"HUMAN." 
 
5.  ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE CONFERENCE DEALT WITH THE ISSUES 
AFFECTING WOMEN IN THE MILITARY, SEVERAL SPEAKERS ALSO 
ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM OF REVERSE DISCRIMINATION.  THERE IS 
SOME CONCERN AMONG THE MILITARY RANKS THAT WOMEN ARE BEING 
AFFORDED SPECIAL TREATMENT TO THE DETRIMENT OF THEIR MALE 
COUNTERPARTS.  OVERALL, HOWEVER, THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT, TWO 
YEARS LATER, THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE WITH WOMEN IN THE 
MILITARY HAS BEEN POSITIVE. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME03031 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED