Equality commission head hails family-friendly policy extension

The move by the government to extend family-friendly measures from the civil service to the entire public sector was "a step in the right direction," the chief executive of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women, Sina Bugeja, said yesterday. Contacted by The Times for her reaction, Ms Bugeja said the government was aiming to increase family-friendly measures and make them as widespread as possible on a national level.

"This is the natural thing to do if the government wants to meet the criteria of having more women in the workforce. Unless one gives working mothers facilities and incentives, it is difficult to keep them in the labour market," she said.

Ms Bugeja said failing to implement family-friendly policies "amounts to exploitation and it is not acceptable that any entity argues this decision impinges on its autonomy. Now that the decision has been made, no one should have the space to wriggle out of it.

The government should not budge as it's a step in the right direction. We are finally finding the right balance between work and family," she said. The Principal Permanent Secretary, Godwin Grima, told permanent secretaries in a circular the government had decided to extend family-friendly measures, currently available to public officers, to the entire public sector.

The permanent secretaries were asked to bring this policy decision to the attention of all heads of public entities falling under the responsibility of the respective ministries.

One of the most important family-friendly measures adopted in the public service, but which has been resisted in some public sector entities, is that employees can opt to work reduced hours and can choose to work 20, 25 or 30 hours a week in order to look after children under the age of 12. In some entities parents are only allowed to work reduced hours until their children are four years old, which could be extended to six at the discretion of the management.

Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina last week told The Times the government had set the example with regard to family-friendly measures and these have now been extended to the public sector, thus benefiting an additional 13,000 workers or so.

"This has been done in view of the increasing number of working parents, a reality we are faced with, and which must, therefore, be translated into services and measures to benefit this emerging group of persons," Ms Cristina said.

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin too welcomed the move saying public and private employers should take their initiative to introduce family-friendly policies.

"No public entity should try to hide behind the excuse of autonomy or independence. By trying to harmonise the family-friendly measures, the government is not in any way interfering in their independence or autonomy. After all these agencies should keep it in mind that their board of directors is appointed by government and it is public funds they are dealing with," UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella said.