The “embarrassingly low” number of women in decision-making positions will be addressed by an extensive research and training project.
Many are stuck between caring for children and their own parents
The project, Gender Balance in Decision-Making, is being coordinated by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality and has an EU-funded budget of €600,000.
NCPE projects executive Annalise Aquilina told a conference of stakeholders yesterday: “Forty per cent of board members should be women. That’s what we’re ultimately aiming for.”
Maltese women represent just 3.5 per cent of board members, the lowest in the EU and far short of the EU average of 15.8 per cent.
The project will include a two-year mentoring programme that will see professionals, preferably women with high-level positions, mentoring women who aspire to hold decision-making positions.
The NCPE does not exclude the possibility that politicians and men forming part of the mentoring team.
“Gender equality is not exclusively a female issue, men have a huge role to play in promoting equality,” NCPE executive director Romina Bartolo said.
“For the past 10 years, 60 per cent of our University graduates have been women. It is time this figure is reflected in boardrooms across Malta and Gozo.”
The project will also include a new directory of Maltese and Gozitan professionals, which Dr Bartolo said would give visibility to professional women in various sectors.
The directory will include information on female executives’ qualifications, experience and skills.
Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said: “This project is a serious step forward in tackling what has become an embarrassing problem for Malta. We have already had a slap on the wrist from the European Commission on this issue.”
The minister was referring to a European Commission report that lambasted Malta for “a very low female presence in higher positions”.
“Many women form part of Malta’s sandwich generation, stuck between caring for children and their own parents. The mentoring scheme will help transmit skills on how to juggle these responsibilities and succeed professionally,” Dr Dalli said.