RPT-INSIGHT-Job or baby? Italian women’s struggle to have both holds back growth

Elena has a seven-month old baby and is about to quit her job, unable to overcome the difficulties of combining motherhood and work in Italy, where both women's employment and the birth rate are among the lowest in the European Union. Getting more women into the labour force is an imperative for the central bank, which has said the change is needed to support long-term economic growth and ensure that Italy's 2.8 trillion euro ($3 trillion) debt pile is sustainable.