Creating the ideal conditions for an enhanced work-family life balance, and stimulating an increased participation of women in the workforce is seen by the government as an important pillar for economic growth and sustainability.

This is not an easy task however, as an EU-wide study compiled about five years ago shows that Maltese women are more likely to interrupt their careers for childbearing.  This is often done at the expense of their careers, and generally leads them to drop out of the workforce. The situation has also left Malta lagging behind all the other EU states when it comes to women pursuing life-long careers.

According to the European Commission’s country-specific reccomendations for Malta, “the employment rate of women still remains low, parenthood still has a significant effect on the participation of women on the labour market, and the gender employment gap is the highest in the EU.”

The government is trying to address this imbalance and a number of initiatives have already been introduced. Among these is the awareness campaign ‘Nista’ – Sharing Work-Life Responsibilities’, funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), which was also included in Malta’s National Reform Programme. Another ESF project was, ‘Unlocking the Female Potential’ which also contributed towards the achievement of Measure 1.3.5 of the National Reform Programme, that is, ‘Ensuring Better Utilisation of the Economy’s Labour Potential’.

Other government initiatives for public administration employees are unpaid parental leave that may be shared between the parents, working on reduced hours, tele-work and flexi-time.

The strengthening of existing childcare facilities and the setting up of new ones is considered a very important mechanism that not only supports the government’s policy on work-family life balance and female participation in the work force, but also contributes towards reaching the EU’s 2020 targets of providing child placements for at least 33% of children aged between 0-3 years in Malta.

In the 2013 recommendations for Malta, the European Commission states that the number of women actively at work remains very low at 46.9%.  In this regard the European Commission recommends that Malta should continue to take measures to facilitate the integration of women in the labour market through providing child-minding facilities. This will support the government’s endeavour to reach the 2020 Malta target of 62.9% employment rate, a goal yet to be reached due to the low female participation in the labour market.

The government wants to support the childcare services sector through public-private partnerships and EU co-funded projects. To this end, a call is currently open for project proposals under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The call is issued by the Department for Social Welfare Standards in the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity together with the Management Authority of the scheme - the Planning and Priorities Division (PPCD) of the Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto.

The call, ‘Grant Schemes for Childcare Facilities – The Regeneration of Childcare in Malta’, falls under Priority Axis 6 – ‘Urban Regeneration and Improving the Quality of Life’, under Operational Programme 1 which aims to develop and generate economic growth by strengthening the necessary physical infrastructure to encourage economic activities and improve the quality of life.

Involving national funds and necessitating private investment, the grant scheme addresses the link between the low female participation rate in the labour market and the availability of affordable, quality child care facilities.  The scheme will allow organisations from the private sectors and NGOs to access financial support to introduce or upgrade, or relocate childcare facilities that aim to facilitate integration of females in the workforce and increase the female participation rate. 

This may be obtained through direct employment of females within the sector itself, and through encouraging entrepreneurship and triggering the setting up of new businesses. The initiative will also lead to the retention and re-entry of female employees in the labour market. It is envisaged that the end results of the scheme will go a long way towards abetting economic growth and sustainability, a concept agreed upon by the private sector.

To achieve these set goals, financial support will be given to upgrade existing or introduce new child care centres through start ups.  In order to be eligible, projects should translate into new facilities on the market, while beneficiaries have to indicate new employment opportunities created by the project, including the number of employees estimated to switch from part-time to full-time basis.

Applications with project proposals under this call will be received at the Department for Social Welfare Standards, 469, Bugeja Institute, St Joseph High Road, Sta Venera, till Thursday, October 17. More information can be obtained from https://secure3.gov.mt/socialpolicy/erdf

 

Mark Mizzi is Principal Information Officer (EU Funding) at MEUSAC.