“Un Passo in Più” was presented this morning in the commission room of the Regional Council, the new intervention of the Calabria Region intended to economically support women affected by oncological pathologies and their caregivers, conceived in the first weeks of the new legislature and promoted by the president Roberto Occhiuto and by the regional councilor for Social Inclusion, Subsidiarity, Welfare and Equal Opportunities Pasqualina Straface, in collaboration with the National Microcredit Agency.
The measure, financed with 3 million euros, provides for the provision of an economic contribution of up to 10 thousand euros.
The measure is intended for at least 250 women undergoing oncology treatment and, in applicable cases, their caregivers who have had to suspend work to provide assistance.
“Here – stated President Occhiuto – is one of the actions that were not only part of my electoral program, but which demonstrate that that program was not a dream book. We said that within 15 days we would make this measure official and in fact we kept our commitment: the councilor was very fast, we managed to do it in 14 days.
This initiative is not born today, but from a work built in recent months, with a direction already issued last May 9th and developed with a horizontal subsidiarity model together with the National Microcredit Authority. We want to recognize a contribution to women with oncological pathologies that helps them with the collateral expenses they face in an overall condition of fragility. Our goal is to prevent the toxicity of the disease from also becoming economic toxicity.”
“We wanted to go beyond the LEAs – concluded Occhiuto – because these needs are as essential as care. And we hope that, in the 15-day pre-information phase, the network of associations and all the actors involved can provide valuable suggestions”.
According to councilor Straface “today Calabria makes a precise political and human choice: to stand next to its women. Un Passo in Più is not episodic help nor a spot bonus. It is an intervention that recognizes that oncological disease also produces economic fragility. And when welfare is right, it understands this and intervenes”.
Straface also underlined that the provision is aimed “at women who often face therapy, loss of income, children, travel expenses and unexpected treatments at the same time. To them – he added – we want to say one simple thing: the Region is with you. Not only in the hospital, but in daily needs”.
Among the new features envisaged, there is also the extension of the contribution to caregivers.
“Support – Straface finally explained – for those who had to leave work to care for a sick woman. It is a gesture of institutional responsibility, but above all of civility”.
Also speaking together with President Occhiuto and Councilor Straface were the general director of the Unitary Programming department, Maurizio Nicolai, the manager of the Health and Welfare department, Saveria Cristiano, and the general secretary of the National Microcredit Agency, Riccardo Graziano.
“This is an experimental financial allocation – Nicolai recalled – which will be integrated if it works. If the results, as we believe, are positive, we will also activate discussions with the media to strengthen communication and spread this measure as best as possible. The department – he concluded – has precisely interpreted the political directions received, inserting this initiative into the broader extraordinary Calabrian welfare plan”.
“This is a measure – explained Cristiano – the result of work built by listening to women, associations and healthcare workers. One Step More represents an important piece of a welfare system that aims to be more integrated, faster and more capable of intercepting fragilities before they become marginalities”.
The general secretary of the National Microcredit Authority Graziano instead highlighted the strategic value of the measure which “has no precedent in Italy nor in Europe. We are proud – he highlighted – that it was Calabria that proposed it, becoming its national ambassador”.
Graziano then spoke about the results of the already consolidated collaboration with the Region: “Programs like Yes I Start Up Calabria have transformed thousands of young people and women from unemployed into entrepreneurs.
“This – he finally stated – is not a territory that suffers: it is a territory that produces social innovation. Furthermore, the ENM will make qualified tutors in the area available to the project, personalized paths, economic empowerment tools and opportunities for reintegration into work and self-employment. Our objective is not to assist, but to restore power, voice and future to the women involved”.
“One Step More” represents one of the first measures in Italy that recognizes the toxicity of oncological disease as an integral part of treatment pathways. An innovative model, built together with Microcredit, which the Calabria Region intends to extend and strengthen in the coming months. The measure now enters the 15-day pre-information phase, during which associations, operators, bodies and citizens will be able to send useful comments to further improve the tender.