Research: Third Sector Network? An investigation about the relevance of Social Networks among Third Sector associations in Italy, France and Hungary in building social partnerships related to Gender Issues
I am Gaia Antinelli, a researcher with a strong background in media and digital communication, having completed my Bachelor's degree in "Communication, Technologies, and Digital Cultures" at Sapienza University of Rome with a thesis on "Intersectionality". Two years later, I went on to earn my Master's degree in "Media, Digital Communication, and Journalism", also at Sapienza University, with a thesis on the "Incel Community of Facebook Italy". Currently, I am a doctorate student of the Joint International PhD in Social Representations, Culture and Communication (Sapienza University, Department of "Communication and Social Research"), where I continue to explore how social dynamics and representations intersect within cultural frameworks, with a focus on gender issues.
My PhD project aims to explore the gender gap within Third Sector organizations in Southern Italy through a structured research initiative that combines training events through the FQTS project ("Third Sector Executive Training") promoted by the National Third Sector Forum, CSVnet, Convol and Sapienza University of Rome, financed by the Foundation “With the South”. The research spans from 2023 to 2024, focusing on understanding gender dynamics, training leaders in gender-sensitive practices and creating tools for Third Sector organizations to self-evaluate and address gender disparities.
This research fills a significant gap in the current understanding of gender issues in Italy’s Third Sector, which has limited scientific attention and a scarcity of reliable data on gender disparities. The initiative not only investigates the extent of gender awareness within the sector but also offers tangible solutions (such as the creation of GEPs) to promote organizational changes in line with Goal 5 (on "Gender Equality") of Agenda 2030.
After the training sessions, focus groups and in-depth interviews were organized to provide an opportunity for participants to share their personal/organizational experiences related to gender issues. The key issues explored are the gender gap in leadership roles and the obstacles to female empowerment within Third Sector organizations, a field that is traditionally overlooked when discussing gender inequality in the workplace.