The gender impact of workfare policies in Italy and the effect of unpaid work

This essay analyses the gender impact of a welfare policy experimented in Italy (minimum insertion income) by taking into account unpaid work evaluation and gender inequalities in income distribution and time allocation. Minimum insertion income is aimed at very poor families and combines a cash transfer with policies aimed at encouraging labout market participation by at least one family member of working age. The microsimulation analysis is carried out on a matched data set that contains information on unpaid work, other relevant socio-demographic information and income. The contribution shows how partners' labour supply decision can change when one takes into account unpaid work. Neglecting unpaid work in the evaluation of public policies can lead to inefficient outcomes.