The president of the National Council of Women Dr Rebecca Berry Wellman emphasised that systems and mechanisms put in place to ensure that women in high positions “are there,” but often lack the holistic human element.
In the week that Woman’s Day was celebrated, The Malta Independent on Sunday spoke to Berry Wellman about issues women still face today in the modern world. While much has been done with regards to the progress of women professionally, the human aspect is often ignored.
Asked about the appointment of women in high positions, and if there is still a long way to go, Berry Wellman, who is a notary by profession, exemplified the situation by citing many professions today, which are heavily male dominated.
"While there are many women who are professionals, they find it difficult to actually be on top of certain projects, because there is always the question asked by others, 'how is she going to cope?'" Berry Wellman said.
Despite the progress in increasing quotas for women, as well as new mechanisms in place (such as the gender mechanism in Parliament) to make sure women are present in decision-making positions, Berry Wellman argued that it is imperative that infrastructure and support is in place for both men and women equally.
"We can create all of these systems, have rules and processes for women to be there, but what about her personal obligations? How will a woman cope in society?" Berry Wellman said.
She said that the National Council of Women supports such mechanisms, but "we have to see that these mechanisms don't end up discriminating the woman."
Berry Wellman said that when a woman is put in a position because of a system, she may also face criticism from people who would say she is only there through the system or as a token.
"This scenario is quite a double-edged sword," Berry Wellman said, adding that one of the main things the council will focus on this year, during the 60th anniversary of its establishment, is enhancing women's voices, not just in giving them a platform, but also supporting women in their personal lives and other roles in whatever they decide to do, be it a mother, a wife, a career woman, or all of them together.
She spoke about the childcare system in Malta, which she commended as a good step for working women. However, there is still a way to go with regards to care or support during holidays, she said
"With the childcare system, we have a society where we no longer have one parent sacrificing his/her career because they have children,” Berry Wellman said, explaining that there is a human element of the physical and mental well-being, which is often forgotten.
Since, traditionally, the woman has to take on the caring responsibility of the family, apart from being present at work, it may leave less time for her well-being, she said.
Berry Wellman added that she feels that these systems and mechanisms are created to "patch" up the real problem. "We have to focus a bit better to cater for a better education strategy to both men and women, especially from a younger age, to emphasise equality between the genders," she said.
One of the main objectives of the National Council of Women is education, and to continue to build on what our society has already achieved through inclusion and empowerment, she said.
She said she feels disappointed when a young woman says that a certain job is "for men" - signalling that a certain mentality is still present.
At the same time, Berry Wellman acknowledged all the progress which has been made, noting that many women would not be at their positions otherwise.
"But we have to look further," Berry Wellman said. Emphasising on an important note, Berry Wellman said that while we discuss women in the workplace and the woman in society, the new family model is being forgotten - the model where both parents work.
Berry Wellman referenced the increased numbers for separation and divorce, where many couples decide to separate, at times because they would not have any time for each other after a full day of work, nor time for their children, impacting their relationships, “What about quality time?” she said.
"Shouldn’t we target these issues and focus more on work-life balance by empowering and educating both men and women?" Berry Wellman said, adding that the argument in response to this is often that one person in a relationship has to make more sacrifices.
“Indeed, this is why we should have a holistic approach when implementing measures,” she said.
She was asked about Malta's gender pay gap, where the country still faces issues, both from the lens of employment and pensions.
Berry Wellman linked this issue to other social issues women face. "Women are capable as much as men, sometimes more, depending on the person," Berry Wellman said.
She explained that statistics show that more women continue their studies at higher levels of education, and questioned the existing pay gap.
The current family model must be given more attention to, Berry Wellman said, explaining that the new scenario is not being looked into.
The NCW’s president was asked if the country still has a somewhat patriarchal mentality.
"I would not take it to that extreme," Berry Wellman said, adding that she does not feel that Malta is still a patriarchal country, but there is still progress to be made.
"It is not about just changing the laws and introducing systems, it is about the mentality," Berry Wellman said.
Berry Wellman was asked if there is enough support for working mothers, and if there should be further data collection and research on who uses the childcare system in Malta.
"We discuss these systems, but we forget that at the end of the day we are humans," Berry Wellman explained, with the Council of Women emphasising on the human element, both for men and women.
Berry Wellman said that sometimes, women often set aside their physical and mental health for their responsibilities, even out of guilt or other people's judgement.
"We have to have a holistic approach in how we support women, which approach is to focus on the human factor," she said, noting that this takes time and the right structures.
She also noted issues children raised by working mothers may have, such as attachment issues. "We forget about these things," Berry Wellman said.
Women should be raised in a society where they are engrained in a mentality that they can have two roles, and we should not segregate between women at home and women who work, as most women who decide to pursue a career perform in both roles, she explained.
Berry Wellman said that the NCW also believes that men also need their space to address physical and mental health, so that they could better support women.
On domestic violence, and whether the laws are appropriately designed to truly reduce the number of victims and cases of domestic violence, Berry Wellman brought up a recent local case where a man received a suspended sentence after abusing his wife in the presence of their young child.
"It is like there are no grievous consequences to this. It does not make sense to have a system, to go to court, but at the end of the day, these people receive lenient sentences," Berry Wellman said.
Berry Wellman noted that there is also the issue of time and a victim that is left “pending” – “let us not forget that currently, domestic violence victims have to go through lengthy judicial proceedings which may lead to a situation of continued domestic violence and femicide.”
She said that mental health, financial issues and drug problems in the family often leads to such cases of domestic violence, and the perpetrators also need to be helped in this regard.
Berry Wellman also warned that the way the country regulates drug use should not give way for more domestic violence.
She was asked how domestic violence laws could be enforced to work better to reduce domestic violence.
"Once we are presented with so many facts, we must be harsh in the consequences, so that they don't happen again," Berry Wellman said.
The council believes that the root problem should be tackled first, she said, which is the reason why many women, and men, end up in cases of domestic violence.
She noted that most cases of men who have suffered domestic violence go unreported, often being told to "man up."
Berry Wellman was asked if the femicide law is truly working, given that the Council had previously stated that despite the law, several police reports, talks and protests, domestic violence in Malta still persists.
"Is the law truly safeguarding the woman?" Berry Wellman questioned, promptly adding that it is not, as the murders of women continue to happen. She stated that NCW is pleased with the new femicide measures, however, unless root problems are not tackled further, the country will continue to face this problem.
The council had also previously stated that there are a lot of pending domestic violence cases, which take years to go to court.
Berry Wellman said that this could lead to something worse to happen, and said that the question of time is found across the board.
"Many women do not have anywhere to go. We do have shelters and systems, but it is difficult entering a court dispute with your partner, who is often the father of your children," Berry Wellman said, adding that it is not just a matter of a woman "running away" especially when there are children involved.
Living in the same property with the abuser also gives time for women and the children to go through more violence, until the pending case is heard, Berry Wellman said, which can teach children that it is normal to be living in such an environment, further affecting them in their personal relationships as they grow.
"This is how we are raising our children," Berry Wellman said, adding that some people do not seek peace as adults, when they have been brought up in a childhood of 'chaos.'
She said that people do not go through the unlearning process of such a situation, unless it is explained to them that they need help to unlearn such behaviours.
Berry Wellman said that many find themselves in scenarios where they cannot make ends meet, and most cases of domestic violence centre around frustration over money. Other issues include poverty of opportunity, or an illness in the family, which could lead to cases of domestic violence.
"Are we giving enough support to these people?" she questioned, further adding that systems in the country often lack the holistic human element, and there is much to be done to address root causes of domestic violence.
She also noted that the country is not giving enough support or attention towards foreign women in Malta, and people with different religions. Berry Wellman further condemned the association of domestic violence with religion.
Asked if Woman's Day is still relevant today, Berry Wellman said that this day is still very relevant, where it celebrates the positive things, and celebrates the woman.
“It serves as a catalyst for progress and social justice. Stereotypes must continue to be challenged, barriers dismantled, allowing women to pursue their dreams and aspirations freely,” she said.
"Woman's Day is very important for women, as well as for men. Society and the woman's role are always changing. NCW believes that if we stop discussing women in society, and say that enough has been done, we will forget how the woman has changed today," Berry Wellman said, adding that nowadays, children are brought up with their mother working.
"We need to discuss their future, because we are already here," Berry Wellman concluded.
Ahead of Woman's Day, the National Council of Women also held a seminar with its affiliate organisations and will collaborate further to organise events on increasing education, empowerment and this years’ Women’s Day theme - inclusion, all while taking the approach of focusing on the humanistic element while implementing measures.
Berry Wellman said that as the National Council of Women celebrates an important milestone of its 60th Anniversary, it will continue on its journey to work relentlessly on gender inclusivity in education, promoting gender equality in all spheres, especially in decision-making positions, bridging the gender pay gap, and securing the financial independence of women.