By N. Faraoni and D. Marinari
The report was edited by Natalia Faraoni and Donatella Marinari. Letizia Ravagli and Maria Luisa Maitino wrote chapter 1. The work relates to the Local Systems, Culture, and Tourism Area, coordinated by Sabrina Iommi.
As is well known, Italy is suffering, more than other Western countries, from a severe “demographic winter,” i.e., a slowdown in population growth that has only been partially offset by migration flows, which have become significant since the 1990s but now appear to be completely inadequate.
The pandemic has accentuated the ongoing demographic decline, with the resident population in Italy falling from just over 60.3 million in 2013 to just under 59.3 million at the end of 2020. This contraction is the result of differing dynamics at the regional level, with a more pronounced phenomenon in the South, slight growth in the North-East of the country, and more stagnant regions, such as Tuscany.
Within this general framework, the situation of certain socio-demographic categories appears particularly delicate. Young people and women are disadvantaged in the labor market, with higher rates of inactivity and unemployment and a greater risk of poverty. This is a structural issue, and in Italy it has deep-rooted causes linked to the type of welfare system and labor market reforms, and therefore to national trends that are difficult to change at the local level. It is true, however, that the characteristics of local production systems can define the peculiarities of this generalized phenomenon and determine these vulnerabilities in a more specific way.
This report focuses on the municipality of Livorno, with a broader look at the local system and the province. After a brief introduction dedicated to the territorial elements of the demographic transition affecting the region of Tuscany and the country, it concentrates on the situation of young people and women in the labor market.
The report is structured as follows. The first chapter deals with demographic issues, providing an overview of the current and medium-term situation of the population of Livorno and an estimate of possible future scenarios. The second chapter focuses on the working conditions of young people and women, drawing attention to activity, employment, and unemployment rates, the main economic sectors absorbing dependent labor, types of contracts, and wages.
