The dearth of reliable gender-segregated statistics for the Maltese Islands was, until recent years, a great handicap to researchers and policymakers. The two publications by Anton Abela issued in 1998, together with other studies, have gone some way to providing much-needed information.

Last month, a seminar was organised by the National Statistics Office on updating and extending its own 1999 publication on the subject.

Last week, the Commission for the Advancement of Women launched the publication of a study authored by Professor Mario Vassallo, Professor Lydia Sciriha and Dr Maja Miljanic Brinkworth, entitled The Unequal Half - the underused female potential in Malta.

Its main purpose was "to provide a basis for the formulation of concrete policy proposals that could be made to facilitate the continued blossoming of women's role in Maltese society".

The book deals with demographic differences across genders, gender bias and family formation, education, employment, housing, aging, disease and disability, with around 58 tables illustrating the various sections.

The reviews and comments (mostly positive) made by the participants at the launch also pointed out lacunae in areas such as women in industry, fertility trends and participation in voluntary organisations and work.

It is also becoming increasingly evident that statistics need to be regional, rather than just national. Finally, it would make sense, as Professor Godfrey Baldacchino pointed out, to set up a national research centre or authority that would gather research findings and studies - there must be thousands of unknown and unutilised University student dissertations - and help to ascertain accuracy of findings and data.