An international report on the gender gap makes grim reading as far as Malta is concerned, despite promises by the Muscat government to be the most feminist administration ever, the Nationalist Party said on Thursday.
Spokeswoman Claudette Buttigieg observed that Malta's placing had deteriorated in several aspects of the Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum.
Over the past five years women's pay deteriorated so that Malta dropped to 106 place from 87 in 2013 according to the global ranking.
As for the gender pay gap, Malta fell to 48th place from 19th.
In women's health, Malta fell to 114 from 65th five years ago.
In women's healthy life expectancy, Malta fell from 78 to 120th place while in women's public participation, Malta was ranked 81 from 53 five years ago.
Malta's position also deteriorated when measured according to women's participation in decision-making posts and in parliament.
The shortcomings shown up by this report needed to be addressed by the government in the interests of women, the PN said.