Gender Representation in Italian Veterinary Scientific Societies and Professional Bodies

Over recent decades, the veterinary profession has undergone substantial feminisation. However, this demographic transformation has not been accompanied by proportional representation of women in leadership and decision-making roles. This descriptive retrospective study examined women’s representation in leadership positions within Italian veterinary scientific societies, the National Federation of Veterinary Orders (FNOVI), the National Veterinary Social Security and Welfare Institution (ENPAV), and the Provincial Veterinary Orders. Data were extracted from publicly available institutional websites and official organisational records. Gender was inferred from names and verified, when necessary, using publicly available professional and institutional information. The analysis of veterinary scientific societies covered the three most recent presidential terms, whereas FNOVI, ENPAV, and Provincial Veterinary Orders were analysed over longer historical periods. Veterinary scientific societies showed an increase of 19.2 percentage points in the proportion of women presidents. In 2025, women accounted for 36.8% of society presidents and 36.8% of executive board members. Women also accounted for an average of 18.4% of Provincial Veterinary Order presidents between 2012 and 2025. Neither FNOVI nor ENPAV has ever had a woman president. Overall, the findings indicate persistent gender imbalance in leadership representation across Italian veterinary governance structures.