People holding public office should not use sexist language or lean on stereotypes and must be aware of their responsibility in promoting gender equality, the Equality Commission said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality noted that public figures played an especially important role in working towards eliminating gender-based violence, which disproportionately affects women and girls.
"Statistics have repeatedly shown that gender inequality persists across different areas such as those of power and resources," the NCPE said.
The Commission statement made no reference to any particular event or statement but instead noted that one of the root causes of gender inequality were "antiquated and erroneous, but deep-seated, beliefs" concerning the different roles of men and women.
Last week, a Times of Malta opinion piece penned by Education Commissioner Charles Caruana Carabez prompted a storm of condemnation from gender equality activists, with the Malta Confederation of Women's Organisations calling for him to be sacked.
In the piece, titled 'The foibles of women', Mr Caruana Carabez described women as "different" and "more insecure", wrote of their "crazy relationship with vegetation" and argued women would not have been tempted by the Biblical serpent's promise of universal knowledge because "women always think they know everything".
Anticipating the backlash the article would provoke, the Education Commissioner ended his article by predicted a "female wag" would "give me the cudgeling I probably deserve".