The statistics are clear: women study more, graduate with higher grades and in less time, even in STEM fields. Yet, once they enter the workforce, they face an invisible wall. Lower pay, fewer career opportunities, and motherhood that often becomes an insurmountable obstacle. The recent report "The Invisible Column" from the Centre for the Anthropology of Religion and Generative Studies at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, presented in Rome, exposes this reality with data and stories. As Christians, we are called to ask ourselves: how can we help transform this injustice?
The Paradox of the "Invisible Column"
The title of the report, "The Invisible Column," is a powerful metaphor. Women are the pillars of society—in families, communities, churches—yet their contribution is often taken for granted, rendered invisible. As we read in the book of Proverbs: "The wise woman builds her house" (Proverbs 14:1). This fundamental role should not be relegated to the shadows but valued and supported.
The report highlights that the problem is not just access to work, but the quality of participation. Women are overrepresented in precarious jobs, involuntary part-time work, and lower wages. Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin has shown how the challenge has shifted from access to balancing career and family. An unfinished bridge: on one side, increasingly qualified women; on the other, a work organization still anchored in 20th-century models.
Generativity: A New Economic Paradigm
The report proposes a paradigm shift: moving from a productivity-based economy to one centered on generativity. What does that mean? Putting people, relationships, and family at the center. It's not just about "helping" women, but rethinking the system. As Pope Francis said (and now our beloved Pope Leo XIV continues on this path), the economy must serve humanity, not the other way around. Generativity is a deeply biblical concept: "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28) is not only about procreation, but the ability to create life and value in every area.
The Church, as a community, can be a laboratory for this new model. Parishes and movements can promote flexible hours, shared care services, and value women's contributions in all ministries. It's not simply a matter of "quotas," but recognizing that without the full participation of women, the Christian community is impoverished.
The Role of Motherhood
Motherhood is often seen as a career obstacle. Instead, it should be recognized as a school of valuable skills: organization, empathy, multitasking. The Bible praises the woman who "clothes herself with strength and makes her arms strong" (Proverbs 31:17). Working mothers are not less, but they need a supportive context. Equitable parental leave, accessible childcare, and a culture that does not penalize those who choose to have children.
A Call to Personal and Community Conversion
Change cannot come only from above. Each of us can make a difference. In the family, by sharing household chores equitably. In the parish, by ensuring women have a voice in pastoral councils. At work, by supporting colleagues on maternity leave and promoting work-life balance policies. St. Paul reminds us: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). This unity does not erase differences but values them in reciprocity.
The report "The Invisible Column" is a wake-up call, but also a hope. As Christians, we have the opportunity to be agents of change. It's not just about social justice, but faithfulness to the Gospel. For where there is love and justice, there is God.
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