AD says it with flowers

Women in Valletta's main streets were this morning given flowers by Alternattiva Demokratika in its commemmoration of Women's Day, being celebrated tomorrow.

The party also held a round table discussion on womens' issues, hosted by Fondazzjoni Ceratonia, an AD affiliated socio-political educational and cultural foundation, with the collaboration of the Russian Cultural Centre.

Health spokesman Mary Anne Zammit said that recent statistics showed that there was still a gender pay gap in EU member states.

Although in Malta this gap seemed to be one of the lowest, action should still be taken to ensure equal pay for equal work and also to help improve the work/life balance for all workers and employees.

The EU, she said, should make it obligatory for member states to provide childcare places for at least 90 percent of children aged between three and six, a measure demanded by the Lisbon Strategy.

Civil rights spokesman and MEP candidate Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros insisted that domestic violence was an underestimated problem.

Violence against women, she said, was one of the most common forms of all violence. It produced more casualties than wars, terrorist attacks or natural disasters and affected one in three women at some point in their lives.

MEPs, Ms Ebejer Arqueros said, had until March 12 to sign a written declaration which called for a "European Year on Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women”.

AD chairman and MEP candidate Arnold Cassola said that Malta should be at the forefront in equality. He said that on the November 27, the EU Commission sent reasoned opinions to six countries, including Malta, to fully implement EU rules prohibiting discrimination in employment and occupation on the grounds of sex.

"We are informed that the necessary changes are being debated by Parliament at the moment, with the amendments at the second reading stage.

"We are pleased that at least after the EU Commission's 'reasoned opinion', Parliament is considering improving legislation as requested by the EU Commission."

Prof Cassola hoped that the Maltese parliament would implement all equality directives expediently and effectively.

"For us Greens civil rights and effective gender equality legislation are top priority both here in Malta and thoughout the European Union," he concluded.