Psychotherapist Maria Rita Parsi, voice of children's rights, has died
Founder of the Italian School of Psychoanalysis (Sipa), since 2020 she was an expert in the Observatory for Childhood and Adolescence at the Department for Family Policies
Maria Rita Parsi, an internationally renowned psychologist and psychotherapist, and a point of reference in Italy and abroad for the protection of childhood and adolescence, died in Rome at the age of 78. Her life has been a tireless commitment to children, interweaving clinical and institutional activities, scientific research with popular writing, and education with social awareness.
Born in Rome on 5 August 1947, Maria Rita Parsi has dedicated her entire life to the study and defence of children's rights. After a long career as a teacher, psychopedagogist and psychotherapist, in 1986 she also tried her hand at television scriptwriting, collaborating on the series 'Professione vacanze', whose protagonist, Jerry Calà, had previously been her patient.
Founding of the School of Psychoanimation
However, it is in psychoanimation - a methodology she developed and applied in the psychological, pedagogical and therapeutic fields - that Maria Rita Parsi has left an indelible mark. Founder of the Scuola Italiana di Psicoanimazione (Sipa), she promoted a humanistic approach to the development of human potential, transforming theoretical concepts into concrete tools for help and growth. In 1992, she founded the non-profit association 'Movimento per, con e dei bambini' (Movement for, with and of children), which became the non-profit Fondazione Movimento Bambino Onlus in 2005. Under his leadership, the foundation established itself as a reference centre in the dissemination of the Culture of Childhood and Adolescence, combating abuse and mistreatment and promoting the legal and social protection of children. His vision was clear: listen to the little ones, understand their needs and guarantee them concrete means of protection.
Institutional commitment
His institutional commitment was equally significant. Since 2021, he was a member of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy's Working Group on Child Guarantee, a European initiative to combat poverty and social exclusion among children and adolescents.
Since 2020, she was an expert in the Observatory for Children and Adolescents at the Department for Family Policies. At the international level, in 2012 she was elected to the Geneva-based UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, a body that monitors adoption and compliance with the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. Her presence in these bodies has helped shape policies that are attentive to the needs of children and promote high standards of protection, not only in Italy but globally.
