Today we commemorate Women’s Day, celebrating the contributions that women make throughout society in our communities and places of work, as family members and as friends, as students, as workers, and as leaders.
Today, we focus on the things that still concern us as women of the Maltese islands, including the pursuit of full opportunities for employment and the chance to fairly participate in the political life of our country.
There are some people who question the focus this day puts on the concerns of women in society. Why, they ask, do we need a specific day on which to reflect about the realities which are faced by the girls and the women who call our islands their home?
In response, let me say that I agree, as the essential message of this day should not begin and end in a mere 24 hours. It should fill every day of our year and each moment of our lives, with a powerful commitment to achieve equity, respect and dignity for all.
This day should serve us to continue learning and sharing the fundamental lessons of universal human rights and freedoms, which each individual must be able to effectively access and fully enjoy in an inclusive society.
In spite of our great achievements in equality and women’s participation in various sectors, we still have a number of challenges that need to be addressed. Our achievements, as a nation, are proof that we can succeed when we are determined, when we are united, and when we work towards clear objectives.
A very clear example is the increase in female participation in gainful employment, because of the focused policies that made this difference possible. According to Eurostat’s latest statistics, the rate increased from 47 per cent in 2012 to 54 per cent in 2015. This is proof of committed action by the authorities.
We need Women’s Day because, although we have certainly made great improvements, according to information from the EU Agency for Fundamental Human Rights, 15 per cent of women in Malta have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence from the age of 15, with a further 37 per cent reporting different forms of psychological violence.
We need Women’s Day because we are aware, and the European Institute for Gender Equality confirms it, that Malta has one of the lowest levels of women’s political representation in the EU. While the European average stands at almost 50 per cent, Malta’s rate of female representation is 29.9 per cent.
We must recognise that women will never gain full dignity until Maltese society makes a true commitment to respect the fundamental human rights we share in common
We need Women’s Day to urgently close the growing gender pay gap, which means women are being paid less than men for the same quality of work. According to Eurostat information the gender pay gap rose from 4.5 per cent in 2014 to 10.6 per cent in 2016.
We need Women’s Day to address what is being indicated by the European Institute for Gender Equality with regard to Malta’s extremely low rate of female participation in economic leadership.
Most importantly of all, we need Women’s Day because equity, dignity and respect for people of all genders is a necessary part of our development as a democratic republic.
Every woman, every man, every child and every family has a role to play in the work we must do, as one united nation, to ensure that the dignity of women and girls is achieved in practical and proactive ways.
We must stand, together, in solidarity with women who face abuse, and call for our courts of law to send a much stronger message of zero tolerance towards all forms of gender-based violence.
We must empower our young women to see themselves in roles of authority, as activists for peace, capable of safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of society.
At this very moment, women in our country are nurturing new families, while contributing to a prosperous economy. Women are helping to lead our nation on its journey towards a better life for our future generations.
Respect is an essential guide along this journey. We must recognise that women will never gain full dignity until Maltese society, which means each one of us, makes a true commitment to respect the fundamental human rights we share in common.
Even though, as a nation, we made great strides in favour of true and effective equality, the fact that Maltese women are still under-represented in our Parliament means that the perspective and the participation of half of our population is lacking in the formulation of policy and decision-making.
I call upon the political parties in Malta to make the coming election an opportunity to ensure that women’s representation in the democratic life of our country is strengthened and reaches a fair representation of our society.
Let us take this opportunity, as a country of goodwill, to celebrate equity, dignity and respect, visibly and effectively, not only on Women’s Day but on each and every day of our lives.
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is President of Malta.