Consiglio Nazionale delle Donne Italiane
The Consiglio Nazionale delle Donne Italiane or National Council of Italian Women is an Italian federation of women's associations, including those admitting both men and women, bent on improving conditions for women. Founded in 1903 as the Italian branch of the International Council of Women, it originally brought together organizations from federations representing Rome, Lombardy and Piedmont and was chaired by Gabriella Rasponi Spalletti until her death in 1931. From the beginning, the council has been open to all women, irrespective of their political or religious views. Still active today, it is involved in helping with the establishment of women's cooperatives, educating illiterate women, assisting migrants and developing the role of women in the professions. It also combats prostitution and the trafficking of women.
In 1908, the CNDI organized the Congresso Nazionale delle Donne Italiane which was attended by over 30 women's organizations from throughout Italy. It was inaugurated on 23 April by Queen Margherita with an audience which included over 1,400 women. Topics covered women's working conditions, education, health and political rights. A plenary session organized by the Comitato Nazionale Pro-Suffragio femminile was centred on how parliament could be persuaded to accept voting rights for women.
The CNDI was dissolved during the fascist period but was revived in 1944. Over the years, it has organized many meetings on topics of interest to women, including the introduction of divorce and the reform of family law. More recently, the agenda has included professional training and employment, and how to increase women's involvement in the public sphere.
Early members of the organization included writers, teachers and suffragists such as Lavinia Taverna, Maria Pasolini Ponti, Sofia Bisi Albini, Giacinta Martini Marescotti, Maria Grassi Koenen, Virginia Nathan, Angelica Devito Tommasi, Maria Montessori and Alice Schiavoni Bosio.
