Labour backs temporary quotas for women

Labour leader Alfred Sant said today that he backed the idea of having quotas to ensure women are appointed to top positions, but said these should be removed once equality has been achieved in practice.

Speaking during an MLP seminar on the occasion of Women’s Day, which will be marked on Saturday, Dr Sant said that a Labour government would aim for a minimum of 30 per cent of public appointments and 20 per cent of diplomatic representatives to be women.

He said that although the present government was originally against quotas, it now seemed to have taken a step back and he would like to see a consensus on this so that nationwide decisions would also reflect women’s lifestyle.

The Labour leader said that his party, once in government, would work to increase the participation of women in the employment and social world.

Malta, he pointed out, was the European country with the lowest participation of women in employment.

Labour’s plan for a new beginning recognised the fact that women were also mothers and their employment should reflect this perspective. The party had proposals regarding childcare centres and child carers.

On flexitime, Dr Sant said that in many instances, this was just on paper. It had to be implemented in practice. There was also discrimination at places of work and this had to be dealt with.