The “Report on the State of Rights in Italy” was presented yesterday morning at the Chamber of Deputies. This report, conceived and edited by A Buon Diritto Onlus, chaired by Luigi Manconi, has been published annually since 2014 with support from the Waldensian Church.
Now marking its 10th anniversary, the report monitors significant regulatory changes and setbacks in the recognition of certain rights. It also outlines initiatives and proposals for their protection, focusing on the 2023-2024 period. During the presentation, Luigi Manconi and Alessandra Trotta, moderator of the Tavola Valdese, were joined by Hon. Nicola Fratoianni (AVS), Hon. Cecilia D’Elia (PD), Hon. Rachele Scarpa (PD), Hon. Riccardo Magi (+Europa), and Hon. Gilda Sportiello (M5S).
This tenth edition also provides an overview of the past decade’s developments in Italy’s rights landscape. Luigi Manconi noted, “In Italy, the system of rights and guarantees has always lagged behind. Over two years of Meloni’s government have further weakened it, exacerbating the deficit in social protection and making individual protections more fragile.”
What does the report cover?
The ‘Report on the State of Rights in Italy’ monitors 17 rights, identifying major recognition challenges, regulatory innovations, and legislative initiatives for their protection. These rights include freedom of expression, refugee and asylum seeker rights, data protection, housing, health, environmental rights, migration, female self-determination, education, work, disability rights, religious pluralism, Roma and Sinti rights, LGBTQI+ rights, minors’ rights, prisoners’ rights, and mental health.
Comprising chapters, graphs, stories, and timelines, the report serves both as a scientific and political tool. Each chapter concludes with legislative recommendations, highlighting gaps and necessary actions for each right.
Overview of where change is needed
Camilla Siliotti from A Buon Diritto Onlus commented on the challenging situation: “The report highlights increased poverty and the need for resources in public health, education, housing, work, and environmental policies. Despite these needs, we witness continuous cuts to social measures.
The situation for people on the move and foreigners is dire, with criminogenic and discriminatory policies in place. Complex issues require welfare measures, not punitive decrees and laws. The ecological transition is failing, climate change effects are intensifying, and those protesting are criminalised. The ‘security’ bill in the Senate, which we oppose, exemplifies this trend. There is a constant attack on LGBTQIA+ rights and women’s freedoms, while our prisons are in crisis. A change of direction is urgently needed.”
The report outlines several legislative changes in asylum and immigration, such as the restrictive “Pieditosi Decree,” which limits NGO search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. Inter-ministerial decrees have updated the “list of countries of safe origin,” further limiting asylum rights. The Central Mediterranean remains one of the deadliest migratory routes, with over 30,000 deaths in the last decade.
Italy’s freedom of expression has declined, with the country falling from 41st to 46th place in press freedom rankings. SLAPP complaints, used to intimidate journalists, have risen, with 98 cases of journalist intimidation in 2023 and 20 journalists under escort in 2024.
Mental Health and Gender-based violence
Mental health data reveals that 48% of Italians feel lonely, one of Europe’s highest rates. 52% report negative mental health effects from the war, and 43% worry about climate change. Women report lower mental well-being, with 40% experiencing gender-based capability doubts. Gender-based violence remains a significant issue, with 104 victims in 2023 and 109 in 2024. Most perpetrators are of Italian nationality and known to the victims.
Calls to the public utility number 1522 increased significantly in 2023, highlighting the rise in gender-based violence. Female employment remains precarious, with a significant salary gap and many women leaving the workforce after pregnancy. Regional disparities in access to abortion services persist, with high numbers of objectors in several regions.
Legislative Decree no. 123 of 15 September 2023, known as the “Caivano Decree,” has led to increased imprisonment of minors. Overcrowding in juvenile penitentiaries has worsened, and overall prison populations have risen despite a reduction in crime rates. Foreigners make up 32% of prisoners, and the suicide rate in prisons remains alarmingly high, with 88 suicides recorded in 2024.
These findings and more are detailed in the report, available at www.rapportodiritti.it.
