Lack of male teachers in younger years leaves boys without male role models at school

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) will be launching a campaign on the representation of women and men in politics. Rebekah Cilia speaks to RENEE LAIVIERA, Commissioner of the NCPE, about the subject of women in politics in Malt

Is gender imbalance present globally in the area of politics or is it a local problem?

Obviously, there are countries that are much more advanced than we are but it is not a local problem. For example, in Spain two-thirds of the Cabinet are women, while in France, there is 50/50 gender balance. Nordic countries also have a high representation of women in politics, over 40 per cent.

In the southern parts of Europe particularly, the representation of women in politics is, like Malta, very low. Only 18 per cent of ministers worldwide are women.

What is it that deters women from entering the political sphere?

Stereotyping is one of the issues surrounding the lack of women candidates. Children are still being brought up with the traditional mentality that men are the breadwinners and women stay at home to have babies, cook and clean. It is getting better because we have managed to increase the number of women in the workforce to 57 per cent. This increase was especially attributed to the government’s initiative of free childcare as well as the breakfast club.

Up to a few years ago, during campaigning, women candidates would be asked what are you doing here. You should be looking after your children. However, this is becoming less of an issue.

Another factor is what is known as the old boys’ network whereby men tend to connect and relate to each other more. This probably is an unconscious factor but it affects the number of women entering politics.

Why do you think there is a difference in the gender balance between members of the local Parliament and that of the European Parliament?

The family-friendly measures of the Commission are much stronger, which was especially important before the introduction of childcare in Malta. When you go to the EP you see a lot of parents with children running around. It is accepted to have children with you at work, for both men and women. Children are so much more empowered too.

It is also important to keep in mind that MEP elections are nationwide not district based.

Do you think political parties are working to establish a better gender balance? Are they encouraging women to contest elections?

Political parties are gatekeepers; they play an extremely important role for women in politics. You learn what politics is all about through the party. It is important that women are welcome as well as the roles they are given within the party.

Women are usually given roles in education but not, for example, in finance even though many women are responsible for the family budget. The environment is another issue where women are not involved enough but we do the shopping and the organising most of the time.

The Nationalist Party is working on two separate lists of men and women with the same number to form a balanced executive. The Labour Party has had a quota for a number of years: a percentage of women have to form part of the executive. They no longer need it because they are elected anyway. The Labour Party also started the LEAD project which saw the recruitment of about 70 women to be trained in the political sector.

Do you think there is conscious/unconscious discrimination from voters?

There may be but we do not have studies regarding this. However, the percentage of women that are re-elected is the same as that for men.

Mainly, men are already in parliament so it is much easier for them to be re-elected. Visibility and finances are also an issue with women candidates. Usually, men have much more funds available at their disposal. Research shows that when women have extra funds they usually spend them on their family rather than on themselves.

Do you think there is gender equality in Malta?

Women are generally directed to career paths which require more caring attributes, like teaching. Teaching is also encouraged because of the holidays. However, teachers can take very little time off during the scholastic year if the need arises. If you are working in IT, in an office, with more flexibility it is easier to find a work-life balance.

However, everything is connected, as for example in IT, the pay is much higher but there are fewer women working in this field. The gender pay gap is because women are usually in jobs which are not as well paid. Although it is not too bad when compared to other countries, at 11 per cent, it is still something we need to work on.

Also, by saying women are more caring, I would be insinuating that men are not, which is unfair because men are very caring. Over the last years, it has been more acceptable to see men out with their children, even on their own. When I was younger this was not so common, it was not considered manly. We are a society in transition.

Segregation in the labour market with respect to teaching shows a high majority of females in general but especially in primary schools and childcare. This leaves boys with no male role models at school. They need to have male role models especially with the higher rates of divorce and separations today.

Women have been doing really well in the education sector, so we cannot say women are not working hard at their education. This country spends a lot on education but we have just above half of the women whose education is giving us a return on the investment. This is a shame for the country, for the women, for the children.

Also, women today have one or two children so it is not as if they have a large family and cannot cope. Teleworking or reduced hours are all measures that will allow women to continue working. In addition, what is the man’s role in bringing up the children? We need to work on the importance of shared care, even with adult dependents, between women and men.

Many people highlight the negativity of women going out to work but we rarely hear about the positive aspects of working women and men. You are out in the labour market, you are more updated, you can go back home and share what you learn in the family environment, for your children and for relations with your partner.

Do you think the way female politicians are portrayed in the media has an effect on this issue?

Men usually get more visibility in the media than women do. To vote for you people have to know you.

If we take a look at the panels on television, most of them are men, even in the news. All current affairs are related to politics so even here women need to be more visible. The messages we are giving to the people watching is that men are more knowledgeable about these subjects. We are propagating the traditional mentality. Especially with social media, due to algorithms, they are continuing to strengthen these stereotypes.

What is your opinion on quotas/positive discrimination?

The type of quota required depends on the country; however, quotas on their own do not work. For example, the hours when parliament meets in Malta are not family friendly and childcare availability in parliament are issues that need to be addressed.

The issue of merit also tends to come up with positive action. The Eurobarometer found that most of the population felt that both male and women can represent their interest in parliament so the merit is there. Women have to be conscious of their abili- ties although younger women tend to be more confident in this aspect.

Taking positive action does not benefit just the individual women but also society as a whole.

Once women are elected, they are generally re-elected which is why positive action is important as people get to know you. Once people get to know you and they see what you are worth then your chance of being selected is easier.

What recommendations would you put forward to improve gender balance in politics?

Some countries have a provision in their Constitution which states there has to be a balance of women and men in parliament. There are other countries which allow for reserved seats for women in parliament if not enough are elected – they add on seats to make sure there is a balance.

These countries believe there is a need for gender balance representation for their democratic processes.

Another positive action stipulated in some countries’ laws is the requirement of a minimum percentage of women on candidates’ lists.

These are all examples of quotas as applied depending on the needs and requirements of the country.

Do you believe that having less female representation in politics has a negative effect on our democracy?

Women have different experiences, skills and outlooks, so a women’s contribution provides a wider representation. There are issues which men and women agree on, but there are others, which, because of our background, of who we are and how we are made can benefit society.

Could you provide more details about the campaign and its aims?

As NCPE, one of our roles is to try to promote equality between women and men in society. We have addressed the issue of the lack of gender balance representation in our parliament over the years, because it is seen as a persistent lacuna. We have not seen much improvement.

There are 67 Members of Parliament, and only 10 are women, which is only 15 per cent. It is a very low rate so we are trying through social media and traditional media to push the agenda forward and create discussion. Due to the coming elections, we are trying to influence positively a gender balance representation.