Gender equality demands 'radical' culture change

A radical culture change is needed if gender equality is to be achieved in Malta, according to National Council for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) executive director Sina Bugeja.

Speaking to The Sunday Times as the world marks International Women's Day today, Ms Bugeja said: "The Maltese used to believe that the idea of a married woman who seeks employment outside the family is incompatible with the definition of the traditional Maltese family... These notions are still, to an extent, present in our culture and consequently in our attitudes and values that influence our choices."

A report by the European Commission published last week shows that Maltese women are slowly closing the gap on men, particularly in employment and education, but they still did more housework and earned less. Across the EU, women earn on average 17.4 per cent less than men. In Malta, the gap is over 23 per cent, according to a recent study by the NCPE.

Economic independence and equal pay between men and women were fundamental priorities of the EU, Ms Bugeja said. Accordingly, national legislation, policies and measures had been reviewed or developed to increase women's social and economic inclusion.

The NCPE recommends that the private sector increases efforts to adopt these measures. In addition, more affordable and quality child care centres are required for parents whose children are under three years of age.

"Change is occurring at a very gradual pace... stereotypes and discrimination hinder the progress towards equality and social inclusion in Maltese society," Ms Bugeja said.

Women still opt for traditional stereotypical jobs that tend to be less remunerated. In fact, women still outnumber men in caring professions, such as in spheres of education, health and social work, according to the labour force survey conducted by the National Statistics Office last year.

The NCPE advises women to be active in the labour market and public life and ignore pressures that stereotyped expectations put on them.

Education offers hope for change. Up to two decades ago, only 20 per cent of graduates were women. In 2007/2008, the figure is 60.8 per cent.

But Ms Bugeja said gender stereotypes still guided the choices women made for enrolment in different courses. Women were more inclined to pursue studies in humanities, health and care-related subjects, rather than scientific and technical courses typically followed by men.

The Commission on Domestic Violence yesterday stressed the need for different professionals to work together to combat violence against women.

Members of the judiciary, the police, and the social care sector should collaborate to improve the services offered to vulnerable women in our society, the commission said in a statement issued to mark International Women's Day.

The commission also called for more awareness-raising on domestic violence, an issue also highlighted by the Nationalist Party in a separate statement.

The PN said the opening of three child care centres, fiscal incentives and training opportunities all contributed to allowing women to enter the work force.

The Labour Party highlighted the plight of women on an international level. It said that in comparison, Maltese women were better off, but it added that legislative advancement needed to be translated into opportunities that would lead to real equality at all social levels.

Alternattiva Demokratika spoke of the need to eliminate the gender pay gap, increase childcare facilities for children aged three to six, and improve training programmes for women. Domestic violence remained an underestimated problem, the Green Party said.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said Malta should be at the forefront of equality, reminding the government that it had two months to respond to the reasoned opinion sent by the EU last November to fully implement EU rules prohibiting discrimination in employment and occupation on the grounds of sex.