Representatives from the Confed-eration of Women’s Organisations in Malta met Labour leader Alfred Sant and MLP secretary-general Jason Micallef yesterday, to discuss the party’s draft plan on equality between men and women.

Dr Sant said the Labour party is open to suggestions with regard to the plan, and changes will be effected, if necessary, even after it has been approved the party’s general council.

Thanking the Labour Party, Confederation spokeswoman Anna Borg was quoted as saying that the confederation aimed to include as many women’s organisations as possible in order to work on equality in a manner that makes it a concept of substance that is necessary for a healthy democracy, economic development and a more just society.

She said the Labour party’s plan on equality includes a number of issues on which the country needs to focus. These include the rate of female participation in the

workforce, which is still very low, said Ms Borg, since many women, especially those who work in the private sector, find it hard to cope with their work and family commitments.

Dr Sant spoke about the Labour party’s long consultation process regarding various aspects of its policies over the past few months. He said the draft plan on equality forms part of a framework that includes five social plans incorporating issues such as working conditions, the family, young people and the elderly.

These plans will form the basis of the party’s election manifesto for the next general election, said Dr Sant.