The study aims to investigate the perceived effect of a particular social policy framework in Italy, an example of a Southern European welfare state on the female labour market participation rate in that country. This is done by looking at the Piedmont region of Italy as the study area and where mainly qualitative research has been conducted on the question of female participation in the labour market. This is done with the aim of assessing what role the sub-national governments have been playing to address the low level of participation of women in the Italian labour market.