ROME- According to the Italian national institute of statistics, Istat, there are more Italian women in work than ever before. The national unemployment rate has also dropped by 10,9 percent in the past year it was reported on Wednesday. This positive news for the Italian economy comes after “three trimesters of growth” in 2017.

 The number of women in employment is also on the rise with a record 49,1 percent of women in work in Italy in the second trimester of this year. This is the highest number of Italian women in work ever recorded, since the institute began records in 1977.

 However, Istat was quick to point out that although these are positive figures, “the employment situation of women in our country (Italy), among the worst in the EU”.  In fact, apparently only Greece has a worse record, with Italy coming second to last on the list.

 Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni commented on Twitter that the situation was encouraging but that there was still much work to be done. “Unemployment is at its lowest since 2012. These are good results for jobs and recovery. There is still much to do but it is an encouraging trend.”

ES