One hundred refugee women living in Naples will have the opportunity to attend free courses at driving schools across the city to obtain drivers licenses.

The project is supported by the municipal administration of Naples, the infrastructure ministry, UN refugee agency UNHCR and driving school associations Unasca and Confarca.

Naples mayor: 'Project is part of our policies of inclusion for migrants'

Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi said the project "is part of policies of inclusion for migrants which we are promoting as a municipal administration."

"It is a project that offers an important contribution to the system of hosting and integration of migrant people," he added.

The course is open to women with refugee status or asylum seekers who have a residence permit or a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.

"We want to give a contribution to the hosting in Italy of women who have been forced to flee their countries," explained Umberto Volpe of the Italian infrastructure ministry.

"A driving license can promote more effective integration by learning driving rules and through a better knowledge of the Italian language" thanks to the "terminology connected to road traffic," noted Volpe.

He added that the project will give participants the possibility of moving around, which will better ensure their "full integration in the social life of our country."

Training favors inclusion

"The objective of UNHCR is to promote the talent and aspirations of refugee women and girls, helping them to fully realize their potential," said Chiara Cardoletti, UNHCR representative for Italy, the Holy See and San Marino.

"This project is a concrete example of progress towards this objective, and we are grateful to the infrastructure and transport ministry, the municipality of Naples and all the organizations involved for the team work in promoting the inclusion of refugee women in Italy," she said.