This case study focuses on an ESF-funded project in Piemonte, Italy, designed to promote labour market inclusion and social integration for victims of human trafficking, particularly women from Nigeria. The initiative provided tailored professional training, Italian language courses, and on-the-job training incentives for local employers. By offering skill development and subsidising employment opportunities, the project empowered participants and improved their living conditions. With around 100 beneficiaries, the project exceeded expectations and highlighted the effectiveness of personalized, needs-based approaches over standardised interventions. Additionally, the programme fostered partnerships across the public, private, and third sectors. Two additional ESF case studies in Italy cover a national project on women’s labour market participation and a regional initiative supporting vulnerable people’s labour market integration in Tuscany.
Inclusion of trafficking victims in Piemonte, Italy
Abstract
In 2016, Italy adopted the Third Sector Reform Law, establishing foundational principles aimed at streamlining and unifying the third sector. This sector includes private non-profit organisations with civic, social, or solidarity objectives, including social enterprises. A key feature of the Law is its empowerment of the government to draft decrees that facilitate the issuance of secondary legislation, further elaborating and shaping the Italian social sector (Impact Europe, 2018[1]). Institutions responsible for third sector policy are the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the National Council of the Third Sector, as well as regional and local authorities (OECD, 2023[2]).
Within this national framework, the regions of Tuscany and Piemonte stand out for their strong traditions in the social economy and social innovation. Piemonte boasts a network of social co-operatives and enterprises dedicated to employment, social inclusion, and care services. The region is a leader in innovation, illustrated by initiatives such as We.Ca.Re (Welfare Cantiere Regionale) initiative, which promotes welfare through cross-sector collaboration among public, private, and third-sector actors to enhance inclusion, employment opportunities, and care services (Ires Piemonte, 2021[3]). Tuscany has promoted experimental models of social-labour inclusion, focusing on empowering vulnerable populations with tailored employment pathways and fostering collaboration between public agencies and private stakeholders (Ismeri Europa, 2019[4]).
Italy received EUR 24.8 billion in ESF funding (EU and national co-financing combined) during the 2014-20 programming period, accounting for 26.6% of the country’s European Structural and Investment Funds (European Commission, 2025[5]). ESF funding has been prioritised to support areas such as crisis recovery and resilience, employment, educational and vocational training, and social inclusion.
ESF+ is implemented at the national level by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies; the Ministry of Education and Merit; and the Ministry of Health. Six programmes stem directly from ESF+ and cover the following themes: Southern Medium Cities, Schools & Skills, Social Inclusion, Youth & Women, Health Equity and Technical Assistance for Cohesion Capacity (see Figure 1). At the regional level, each of the 21 regions in Italy also has its own Regional Managing Authority and programme.
Source: Authors’ own elaboration based on information provided by Italy.
The “Inclusion of Trafficking Victims” project in the Piemonte region was launched in response to a rise in human trafficking cases, following the influx of Nigerian women migrating in 2015. These women faced heightened risks of falling prey to trafficking and prostitution. In response, the region allocated EUR 1 million from the ESF to enhance these women employability through targeted skills development and professional training, aiming to steer them away from abusive situations.
The programme engaged approximately 100 participants, exceeding initial expectations, and demonstrated many success. It provided flexible, on-demand professional training courses, including Italian language and skills development—both critical for integrating into the Italian labour market. Additionally, the programme incentivised the industrial sector to employ trafficked women by covering on-the-job training costs and providing monthly stipends. This approach effectively discouraged prostitution by offering Nigerian women employment alternatives.
The project developed professional training and other courses on an ad hoc basis. This was emphasised as an innovative practice to pursue in the next programming cycle, particularly as it considered individual concerns and priorities. Moreover, since learning a new language can often take time, a more generous timeframe could produce better results. ESF funding supported programmes aimed at strengthening self-sufficiency and employability of Nigerian women, equipping them with practical skills and giving them the autonomy to choose employment opportunities. Ultimately, it helped these women move from unemployment to sustainable livelihoods and broke the cycle of abuse and exploitation.
References
[5] European Commission (2025), Cohesion Open Data Platform - Italy, https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/countries/IT/14-20.
[1] Impact Europe (2018), The Third Sector Reform, https://www.impacteurope.net/sites/www.evpa.ngo/files/publications/EVPA_National_Policy_Nexus_2018_IT_The_Third_Sector_Reform.pdf.
[3] Ires Piemonte (2021), “Evaluation Report”.
[4] Ismeri Europa (2019), “Evaluation service for European programme 2014/2020 - Lot 2: POR FSE Tuscany Region 2014-2020”.
[2] OECD (2023), “Country Fact Sheet: Italy”, https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/topics/policy-sub-issues/social-economy-and-social-innovation/country-fact-sheets/country-fact-sheet-italy.pdf (accessed on 1 April 2025).
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