Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will tomorrow assume the highest office of State by becoming the ninth President of the Republic.
All those who know and have worked with her know that she is not someone who is attracted to ceremonial posts. She is very much a hands-on person who works very hard and with deep passion towards achieving the goals set.
With this knowledge of the person, I have no doubt that her presidency will be one like no other experienced to date by this country.
The European Union 2020 strategy has placed the eradication of poverty as one of the primary pillars upon which the EU of the 21st century will be based.
The unrelenting economic crisis has brought about a great turmoil in our societies. Sovereign states have been brought to the brink of collapse.
Millions of European citizens are today struggling to survive.
The reality of long-term unemployment and dismal employability prospects is increasingly causing many of Europe’s younger generation to flee the continent in the hope of finding a better future elsewhere. This stark reality is one that we in Malta need to face and contend with as well.
Poverty in Malta is often hidden but it exists. First as a key social policy spokeswoman and then as minister, Coleiro Preca is undoubtedly the person best placed to direct the necessary focus upon this pressing reality.
Poverty cannot be eradicated through gestures and sweet talk.
It needs concrete action, intended to bring about a radical change in society and in people’s lives.
Through combating poverty, the whole of society would, in fact, find itself in a healthier shape because affluence brings with it better standards of living, education, health, lower crime levels and a safer environment to live in.
Everything is really connected to this one key area and it is with profound anticipation that I look forward to Coleiro Preca’s term as president in the knowledge that Malta will not be losing a social policy minister but gaining a social policy head of state.
From the very top, the message will be very clear that every programme, every initiative the government embarks upon needs to give close attention to and embrace social policy and the need to do everything within our powers to fight poverty and all associated malaise, such as social exclusion.
I wish Coleiro Preca success in her new endeavours, fully aware that she will assume the presidency with her characteristic vigour and determination and with a vision to make Malta a better place for future generations.
* * *
It is estimated that 80 per cent of care across the EU is provided informally by spouses, relatives and friends. This is usually unpaid and often taken for granted.
Eurocarers, the European carers’ advocacy organisation, estimates that the economic value of unpaid informal care as a percentage of the overall cost of formal long-term care provision ranges from 50 to 90 per cent across the EU.
It is important to keep in mind the fact that caring can have challenging health, financial, social and employment consequences on the care providers.
In an appeal during a joint public hearing on ‘Work-life balance and gender equality’ in the European Parliament, I stated that informal care provided by women to older dependent people, including the parents, must not be neglected.
The provision of this informal care must also not preclude women from pursuing their careers.
Malta will not be losing a social policy minister but gaining a social policy head of state
I stressed that if we truly want to achieve a social Europe, the EU should immediately start addressing the social, economic and demographic challenges we are facing today.
Whereas addressing the need for childcare facilities in the context of the Barcelona Targets is definitely an essential reality, informal elderly care must also be addressed because, so far, it has received less attention.
It is estimated that, by 2025, more than 20 per cent of Europeans will be 65 or over, with a particularly rapid increase in the number of over 80s.
At the same time, women are still responsible for the majority of informal care-giving within the household.
If the EU truly wants to increase participation in the labour market and abide by its own targets to raise women’s employment rates to 60 per cent, it cannot neglect the reality of the ever-increasing number of women who are providing informal care.
I believe that informal care is, in practice, rarely considered in the policymaking process. It is imperative that the European Parliament makes this issue a priority area in its agenda.
At the same time, I appeal to the Maltese and other national governments to ensure that the Council exerts pressure on the new European Commission to make use of the various possibilities to address and support carers.
I have met quite a number of people, mainly women, who asked me to raise this issue and voice their concern.
The contribution of informal care needs to be properly considered and be part of the socio-economic strategy of the EU. If Europe is to move forward and achieve its stated objectives – not least the targets set out in the Europe 2020 strategy – it cannot afford to ignore this important reality.
Claudette Abela Baldacchino is a Labour MEP.