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W.In D. - W omen In D evelopment Malta – Case Study Doriana Bezzina Final Conference Rome, 13th December 2007. “ With the support of the European Union – Programme concerning the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005). The Local Context.
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W.In D. - Women In Development Malta – Case Study Doriana Bezzina Final Conference Rome, 13th December 2007 “With the support of the European Union – Programme concerning the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005).
The Local Context Historical Perspective: Legislative Framework • 1947 – Women were given the right to vote. • 1967 – Single women employed in the public sector were given the right to the same pay as men. • A few years later the right for the same pay was also extended to the private sector of the economy. • 1981 – Women working in the public sector were allowed to retain their employment after marriage.
Legislative Framework • 1991 – The Constitution was amended, allowing redress against discrimination based on sex, and allowing for the possibility of special temporary measures to be introduced with the aim to accelerate de facto equality between the sexes. • 1993 – Amendments to the Family Law gave men and women equal rights and responsibilities in marriage, and legalised the joint administration of property acquired after marriage. • 1993 – The Local Councils Act was established.
Legislative Framework • 2003 – The Employment and Industrial Relations Act stated that harassment on the grounds of gender is illegal. Simultaneously, regulatory conditions of employment advocating ‘family-friendly’ measures were introduced. • 2004 – The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women (NCPE) was set up as a result of the Equality for Men and Women Act (2003). NCPE is currently the national machinery which spearheads gender equality issues. • 2006 – The Domestic Violence Act was enacted.
Labour Market • Female Employment Rate: • During 2007, statistics issued from the National Statistics Office show that female employment has increased by 3,000.
Education • School children in the Maltese Islands share the same national minimum curriculum. As the curriculum implies, education is fundamental for the social moulding of children. • Between 1943 and 1964, females enrolled at the University of Malta were less than 100 in total. Up to two decades ago, locally only 20 per cent of university students were females. In the scholastic year 2003-2004 women constituted 55.8 per cent of those attending university. In the same academic year the proportion of female graduates was 57.1 per cent. Nowadays, female graduates lead male graduates by seven percentage points.
Local Development Orientations • The Maltese Government, national agencies and voluntary organizations have committed themselves into putting effort to strengthen existing policies, programmes, awareness-raising and actions aimed at fostering women’s participation in social and public life, the equal sharing of familial responsibilities, and a guarantee of genuine equality rather than only formal equality, whilst promoting the individual as the focal point of society.
Local Development Orientations • One of the strategies adopted to combat unemployment is to provide career guidance, training and sensitisation sessions both at central and at local level. • The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) offers a number of courses addressed in particular to the segment of the population who is unemployed and inactive from the labour market. • The Employment and Training Corporation works in collaboration with local councils to offer courses to people who are unemployed and to the general public who are willing to take up lessons on a particular theme.
Research Analysis • Theresearch conducted involved a number of interviews/questionnaires with key people in the area of gender equality, representing a number of areas • Highlights of the interviews/questionnaires: • The need for the same opportunities open to be able to participate fully in the social, political, economic and cultural life of that particular society • A number of women are now able to participate in public, political, economic and cultural life. • At legislation level gender equality is supported and public awareness about the matter has also increased. • There is still a need for a change in culture. • Gender equality is still not very much reflected in Maltese society. • The balance between familial responsibilities and the professional responsibilities; • Men still seen as main breadwinners vs women viewed as primary care-givers;
Local Development Policies • The replies received show that 18 localities or local councils answered out of a total of 68 councils, amounting to 26 percent. • It is as yet too early to see the translation of such information directly into the councils’ actions. • On a positive note, change is already being manifested. A number of local councils have expressed their desire to work with national authorities.
Good Practices • The good practices chosen for the scope of this research project were the following: • Gharb Local Council • Nadur Local Council • San Lawrenz Local Council • Birkirkara Local Council • Zejtun Local Council
Gharb Local Council • Partners in a project entitled ‘Equalabel’, where the lead partner is Spain. • The four project objectives are the following: • Analysis of the interaction between the local public services and gender equality. • Re-definition of the role of the local public services in the promotion of gender equality. • Contribution to the necessary change of mentalities allowing the construction of a new culture of equality which is not determined by gender stereotypes by means of the revision of the local socialisation process. • Establishment of a stable transnational network, management and evaluation of its actions.
Nadur Local Council • During the summer months a child-care centre is open for children (For ages:3yr -6yr) during weekdays morning hours for four days a week. • When the child-care centre was officially opened, it used to operate twice weekly, but because of the increase in demand, the opening days were extended from two to four. • Persons employed during the summer months to look after, and organise programmes and activities for the children attending the child-care centre are teachers and facilitators. • Work closely with the school, and educational ambience is offered to the children. • Wherever possible, in subcommittees and other established committees they try to create a gender balanced team. The roles given in such committees are not gender segregated and every member is assigned a role in accordance with their abilities.
San Lawrenz Local Council • Childcare Centre operating since July 2002 • A hall was decorated to attract children, with particular emphasis being placed on safety. • 2 Assistants were employed, and are responsible for the running of the childcare centre. • Operational costs are high, but they believe that children can develop their socialisation skills and that parents should not be obliged to delegate their children’s care on relatives. • Demand for more opening days than the two days in which the childcare centre is open. • Create networks with other entities, such as the ‘Kempinski Hotel’ to give priority to the residents of San Lawrenz in recruitment. • A number of women who were never in paid employment before were given the opportunity to participate in the formal economy.
Zejtun Local Council • Along the years work was focused on: • Improving the effective and pro-active role women should take in all spheres of local community. • Raising awareness on the important contribution women give to society and to the locality, and build an appreciation of the role of women as being equally important to the role men place in society. • Creating facilitative situations where women are given the opportunity to develop their potentialities both in family life and in the employment sector. • Involving women directly in several courses, not only to use their free time on an educational initiative but also to further develop their talents and their potential. • Worked on the creation of activities related to women’s health.
Zejtun Local Council • Gender Mainstreaming throughout the identification of problems, and the decision-making process • As a council, positive action is adhered to in situations where women lag behind. • Work on strengthening the inalienable right of women to develop further their studies and their career path. • Child Day Care Centre: Through the establishment of such centre, women who choose to further their studies or who opt to participate actively in the employment sector will have a guarantee that their children are in a modern, safe, highly equipped and accessible centre during the day. The Child Care Centre is still being built. • The main limitation felt is the need to have more financial aid, more cooperation with central authorities who have an interest in gender equality, and more partners who are ready to work closely with the Council so that the Centre will be ready to start operating on a regular basis.
Birkirkara Local Council • The Birkirkara Local Council is entrenched towards safeguarding equality through the initiation of measures which promote such aspect. • The idea behind such measures is that parents could choose freely on family and work, and their choices would not be to the detriment of their children. • A new childcare centre was officially inaugurated on the 3rd of November in the locality of Birkirkara in a partnership between the local council and the government.
National Commission for the Promotion of Equality Gattard House, National Road, Blata l-Bajda, HMR 9010, MALTA Tel: +356 2590 3850 Fax: +356 2590 3851 gender.equality@gov.mt www.equality.gov.mt
