• In Italy, mandatory paternity leave lasts ten days, paid at 100 per cent.
• Take-up has risen from 19.2 per cent of eligible fathers in 2013 to 64.5 per cent in 2023.
• This means that around 35 per cent of eligible fathers do not make use of their leave days.

In Italy, mandatory paternity leave is a relatively recent achievement. Introduced by the Fornero law of 2012, it initially lasted just one day, with the option of adding two voluntary days (to be taken in lieu of days allocated to the mother). Over the years, its duration has been extended. Today, new fathers – including adoptive and foster parents – are entitled to ten days of mandatory leave, paid at 100 per cent by Inps, to be requested within the first five months of the child's life without affecting the mandatory leave provided for the mother (which lasts five months, to be taken partly just before and partly just after the birth).

Over time, more and more people have become aware of this opportunity and have chosen to take advantage of it. Take-up has in fact risen from 19.2 per cent of eligible fathers in 2013 to 64.5 per cent in 2023: more than triple. But this also means that there is still a considerable share of new fathers – around 35 per cent – who, despite being entitled to leave that is in principle mandatory, prefer to forgo it. This is what emerges from data published by Inps and the NGO Save the Children on the occasion of 19 March, Father's Day.

In which contexts mandatory paternity leave is used most

The rates of mandatory leave uptake are higher among fathers with a permanent employment contract (around 70 per cent), those with an income between 28,000 and 50,000 euros (83 per cent) or above 50,000 euros (80 per cent), and those employed by a company with more than 100 employees (80 per cent). Conversely, only 20 per cent of workers on fixed-term contracts and just 40 per cent of those working for small companies with fewer than 15 employees make use of paternity leave days. Geography also plays a role: figures range from a low of 35.1 per cent in Calabria to a high of 79 per cent in Veneto. In general, take-up rates are significantly higher in northern Italy (76 per cent), drop in central Italy (67 per cent), and fall sharply in the South and on the Islands (44 per cent).

Paternity leave should not be confused with parental leave, which is instead optional and available to both parents at a reduced rate of pay. In 2025 it is paid at 80 per cent for a maximum of three months, provided it is requested before the child turns six. A further six months are also available, compensated at 30 per cent.

A useful tool for the equitable sharing of care work is being foregone

"Despite the positive signals shown by paternity leave uptake data, much still needs to be done to promote an equitable sharing of care between mothers and fathers. And yet, shared parenthood improves the wellbeing of children and protects their fundamental right to grow up in a secure, nurturing and educational environment," says Daniela Fatarella, executive director of Save the Children. "In this respect, it is essential to invest in strengthening this measure for all workers, not only employees. A longer period of leave would also help balance parental responsibilities, promoting a more equal vision between men and women and fostering the consolidation of cultural models free from gender stereotypes."