“…According to Ferrera 17 , one of the principal characteristics of the Southern model in social Europe was the introduction of dualist social protection during the period of great economic expansion , with highly generous provisions for the central market categories (public employees and workers in large industries) and modest protection schemes for peripheral categories (precarious workers, self-employed, and employees of small companies). In this shaping of the welfare state, the family model, characterized by close kinship ties and inter-generational solidarity 23,24,25,26 , assumes the role of compensation and reduction of risks and needs through the provision of welfare, primarily ensured by women. This characteristic, typical of the countries of Southern Europe, has been identified as a central element in what has been called the "welfare society" 27 .…”