The 2016 United Nations theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it up for gender equality’. Supporters are being asked to make pledges for parity, to take concrete steps to help achieve gender parity more quickly.
Gender parity has been on this government’s agenda from the outset, which is as it should be. In many areas, good results are being achieved. The economic independence of women is high on our priority list as the strategy that will lead to empowerment in other areas of life.
There has been an increase in the employment rate of women as a result of the government’s concrete initiatives, such as childcare free of charge for all parents in work and in education, apart from pre- and after-school services, and the strengthening of other family-friendly measures.
The employment rate for wo-men under 24 years of age rose from 44.4 per cent in 2013 to 47.7 per cent in 2015; for women aged from 25 to 54, an increase from 57.8 per cent in 2013 to 64.4 per cent in 2015 was registered; and in the 55-64 age bracket, there has been a rise from 18.7 per cent in 2013 to 24.1 per cent in 2015.
The latter figure shows that even older women, including grandmothers who hitherto were at home taking care of their children’s offspring, are benefiting from these measures.
We have also addressed further the elimination of discrimination against women when it comes to employment in the private sector by means of the maternity leave fund. All employers now contribute to this fund, and it thus makes no monetary difference to the employer whether he or she employs a woman or a man.
Although against the law, it was hard to prove that a woman was not chosen for employment when there was an option, because she was of child-bearing age and the concomitant maternity leave bill was thus footed by her employer.
Of course, economic empowerment, although of the essence, is not enough. This especially when it comes to protecting women from the age-old, various forms of gendered violence.
Today, the government is proposing an outline of amendments to legislation on violence against women. Over two decades have passed since a Labour government presented the first White Paper ever, specifically on domestic violence. It is due time this area of law and policy is strengthened.
In 2014, Malta was one of the first countries to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the Istanbul Convention). What we are presenting today is further work in the direction of our commitment to reinforce the legal framework with regard to violence against women.
Economic empowerment, although of the essence, is not enough
The cost of gender-based violence does not solely impact women. It impacts the whole of society. We need to recognise that gender-based violence counters our efforts for gender equality and non-discrimination and violates the fundamental rights to life, freedom, security and dignity, as well as physical and mental integrity.
We are also finalising the recasting of the Equality for Men and Women Act into an Equality Act.
It will provide for a general principle of anti-discrimination in all spheres while addressing intersectional discrimination (for instance, the intersection of gender with disability in the case of a disabled woman), providing for a general principle of anti-discrimination.
Last week, we launched a consultation document on cohabitation. This law should help families, but especially financially dependent women, who live in this form of family structure.
On an international level, on February 11, the United Nations celebrated its first International Day of Women and Girls in Science as a result of a resolution sponsored and presented to the UN by Malta.
This to promote the full and equal participation of women and girls in education, training, employment and decision-making processes in the sciences, to encourage more girls to enter this area, to promote career development for women in science and to recognise the achievements of women in this sector.
But one of the strongest bones of contention remains women in decision-making positions, especially women in politics.
Studies and experience show us that the problem lies with the disproportionately low number of women candidates in comparison to men. Once accepted as contestants, women fare as well as men and have more or less the same chances of being elected.
If there are the necessary national, social and family-friendly support structures, it is at the candidate stage that political parties must strive harder to field and support women contenders.
This year, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon concludes his wo-men’s day message thus: “Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world.
“There is no greater investment in our common future.”
This government pledges to continue activating this call for action with concrete measures.
Helena Dalli is Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties.