The past and present of female associations in the Region of Campania

Abstract

During the post-war period there was a widespread people's mobilization, in which women devoted themselves to social work. This also involved a great commitment to politics.Female historian associations contributed to women's commitment to social work and the creation of a women's relevant role in the country reconstruction. In particu-lar, Unione Donne Italiane (Udi) and Centro Italiano Femminile (Cif) were the two mass female associations related to the two most relevant political parties in the post-war period (i.e. Partito Comunista Italiano and Democrazia Cristiana).Besides being involved in institutional matters, women were also engaged in ac-tivities on the spot throughout Italy.The issue is whether female associations have, at present, lost their presence on the spot in such a disruptive time.In the post-war period women were involved in the country reconstruction by pro-viding people with socially supportive activities. These activities received an official acknowledgement by the State through the creation of a welfare state and new profes-sionals such as social workers.Nowadays, however, commitment to social work is not any longer a successful link to the job market for women.