From South to North: female scientists in Europe

We examine the problems faced by women in Europe who wish to combine a career in science with family life, focusing on the situation in Italy, Germany and Sweden. Our survey shows strong differences from country to country. Some nations have infrastructures of taxation or professional childcare that are very supportive of working mothers; in others women face not only logistical but also societal barriers that prevent them from achieving a healthy work/family balance. By comparing these countries' attitudes and policies, we hope to find ideas worth importing in order to improve the lives of working women wherever they are.