A newly-launched council for women’s rights will serve as think-tank, raising policy ideas and pointing out shortcomings in current laws, Equality Minister Helena Dalli said.  

23 NGOs will be represented in the newly established council, which Dr Dalli said would "strengthen the dialogue between civil society and the government."

Dr Dalli noted that despite 70 years passing since women had obtained the right to vote, there remained a lot to to be done until Malta achieved full gender equality.

She urged the NGOs to be critical of the state, insisting that proper scrutiny would continue to create laws that promote equal rights.

The council will be chaired by Josianne Cassar, who augured that the government and NGOs would work well together, despite their different agendas. 

After 70 years, women are still highly underrepresented, particularly in Parliament, Dr Dalli conceded.

Turning her focus to gender quotas, the Equality Minister insisted that the controversial quotas are a “necessary evil” and that the only countries with a substantial number of women in parliament were those that had introduced gender-based quotas.