In Italy, women do the majority of care work, which leads to great inequality between men and women in the labor market. So-called dad influencers are now changing the image of fatherhood.
April 25, 2026, 5:47 p.mApril 25, 2026, 5:47 p.m
In February, a proposal to equalize maternity and paternity leave was rejected in the eurozone’s third-largest economy. The reason is that the costs are too high. Currently, women have five months of maternity leave, while fathers have ten days.
Dad influencers such as Diego Di Franco help to deconstruct the traditional role model. The 45-year-old father of two chronicles his everyday life on social media while his wife Raffaella works full-time as an executive.
The number of dad influencers in Italy is increasing. They try to contribute to conveying a more inclusive, equal image. “They show that being a father is something beautiful and fun,” says sociologist Annina Lubbock in the video.
And yet: women make up around 70 percent of voluntary redundancies in Italy, while involuntary part-time work is very widespread. The employment rate for women is around 56 percent – the European average is 72 percent. This makes the gender-specific employment gap in Italy one of the largest in the EU. There is the potential that more working women can also strengthen Italy’s economy.
Influencers like Di Franco can have a positive effect with their posts. Nevertheless, structural changes are needed that enable a gender-equitable balance between work and family. (emm, Reuters, Statista)
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