Third sector, gender & generational issues. An action-research-project to promote participation and cultural change in southern Italy

This contribution aims to present the first evidence of an action-research-project entitled Third Sector and Gender Issues, promoted by the National Third Sector Forum, CSVnet - National Network of Services Centers for Volunteering, Fondazione con il Sud and in collaboration with the Department CoRiS of Sapienza University of Rome. The multi-year project intersects two priority axes of the country’s development projects and the PNRR. In fact, gender discrimination is recognized as a structural problem and gender equality is one of the transversal priorities to the actions of the PNRR. Similarly, Southern Italy is an emblematic territory of resistance to innovation and the 6 regions (Puglia, Calabria, Campania, Sardinia, Sicily, Basilicata) where the project takes place are an ideal laboratory to experiment with the transformative power of education in individuals, communities and institutions. The project’s goals are: (I) to shed light on the forms of discrimination against women and LGBT identities in families, associations, public and political life; (II) to bring out the priorities perceived by Third Sector actors in terms of policies for equal opportunities in the context of Southern Italy and (III) to point out the limits to the concrete implementation of these policies within Third Sector organizations and in society. The path is defined by a mixed participation modality, consisting of a series of online and in-person activities that involve volunteers, association, communities institutions of the territory on the themes of gender. In this work, it is essential the comparison between generations. This paper recounts the first evidence that emerged after 1 year of activity, during which 375 participants (30% men - 70% women) of different ages, citizens and/or representative of Third Sector associations, local public and political institutions.