The government would like to introduce quotas in favour of women in this legislature so that having women in national decision-making posts would no longer be a rarity, the prime minister said this evening.

Dr Muscat was speaking at an activity marking the 70th anniversary since women achieved the right to vote. The activity was held by the Labour Party at the national library in Valletta. 

Dr Muscat observed that the government has an electoral mandate to introduce quotas to favour women in politics.

It was unfortunate, Dr Muscat said, that seventy years on, not much progress had been made with regard to women's involvement in politics.  

Dr Muscat said the government is planning to hold a public consultation and hoped to get the Opposition on board. 

He said the participation of women in the economy had grown strongly in the past five years. In 2013 there were 54,689 women in full-time employment, while in March this year there were 70,817 and another 20,246 part timers. 

Furthermore, an EU report has shown that the gender pay gap in Malta was among the narrowest in the bloc.