With regard to employment policies, Emilia-Romagna has recently promoted the integration of social, health and labour systems through regional law to enable the most fragile and vulnerable people to enter the labour market. From 2014 to 2016, a total of 17 operations and 16 projects were implemented to assist foreigners to emerge from hardship, marginalisation and poverty through jobs and self-employment: there were 571 beneficiaries – among them asylum seekers, beneficiaries of a protection status, migrants, and unaccompanied minors. Moreover, two operations were specifically focused on supporting the labour inclusion of about 600 victims of trafficking and/or violence, including gender-based violence.
In this regard, since 1996, Casa delle Donne has assisted victims of trafficking, sexual and labour exploitation, and forced begging through a social and health network called âBeyond the Roadâ. Responsible for this system are both local public institutions (municipalities of Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Ferrara, Ravenna and the Union of Towns of Valle del Savio and local health authorities of Romagna) and private entities. Its protection programmes (i.e. full housing and employment, international protection, assistance with return to their country of origin) collaboratively involve judicial authorities, health services and social services, third sector organisations, trade unions, and training institutions.