The participation of women in the Italian labor market is still well below the European average. This situation imposes a high cost on the national economic system and acts as a hindrance to regional development. The phenomenon is particularly evident in some Italian regions, for which it is necessary to define active policies that take into account the specific territorial issues and challenges.

The SIF Project aims to provide a comprehensive overview of female entrepreneurship in the Convergence Objective Regions (Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sicilia). The project's goal is to support regional administrations in more effectively planning policies and actions to promote women's entrepreneurship.

The documentary analysis is complemented by direct discussions with regional representatives responsible for regional planning, the Department for Equal Opportunities within the regions, as well as representatives from employers' and labor unions and local female entrepreneurs.

The main policy recommendations that have emerged from the study highlight the need for measures to facilitate work-family balance as a priority area for entrepreneurship support policies. This should be combined with measures to facilitate women's access to credit and the implementation of services to support business creation and consolidation. These services may include guidance, training, mentoring, consulting, and should not be limited solely to providing favorable financial resources.