Directory updated to get women on committees

The Directory of Maltese Women, which identifies qualified women in various fields, is being updated by the Government in a bid to change the heavily male-dominated policymaking sector.

The directory is a database created some years back to give visibility to women competent in their fields and enhance their opportunities to assume positions of leadership and responsibility.

Its aim is to enable ministries and departments, local associations, organisations and trade unions to appoint competent women to serve on boards and committees.

According to a spokesman from the Ministry for Civil Liberties, the directory had become outdated. Funds have already been allocated to upgrade it, which will be managed by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality.

Work will begin shortly, “as the time lost so far has already undermined its purpose and efficiency”.

Speaking during last month’s Budget vote, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had underscored the need of changing certain work practices that were hindering women’s flexibility within the labour market.

He said a distinctly chauvinistic attitude pervaded certain sectors of the civil service, with men doggedly holding on to the belief that, once women were given the opportunity to engage in family-friendly work measures, they would take advantage of the system.

Dr Muscat added that it was Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli’s remit to break down such attitudes.

The spokesman said one of the stumbling blocks in implementing family-friendly practices was that they presented new challenges to administration, such as the output and productivity of employees who adopt practices such as teleworking.

Consequently, the Government will be providing civil service administrators with the necessary management training and tools to facilitate the uptake and implementation of more flexible working conditions.

Additionally, civil service and public sector employees will be able to appeal any refusal by heads of departments to use family-friendly measures. Refusals will need to be justified.

“These measures are not only meant to support families with young children but also to attract more women to the workforce, to increase employee satisfaction, reduce absenteeism, extend hours of service given to the public when necessary and also increase productivity and efficiency.”

Eurostat data has repeatedly shown that female participation in employment in Malta lags behind the rest of EU member states.

There were fewer women managers across the 27 member states when compared with men, the lowest proportions recorded in 2011 being in Malta (at 24 per cent), Greece and Cyprus.

“The worryingly low proportion of female managers in Malta is something that the Government is committed to address.”