In the upcoming budget, more needs to be done for self-employed women who cannot make full use of social benefits such as maternity and sick leave since, due to the nature of their work, they cannot afford to stay away from work for long, especially in the case of small enterprises, the National Council of Women has pointed out in its pre-budget recommendations.
It also noted how, in addition to pre-school facilities, the government is introducing after-school programmes for children of primary school age in three different localities to complement formal learning.
Children, the NCW said, stand to gain from activities that help them develop their talents and offer the possibility of catching up on subjects in which they lag behind.
Along such lines, the NCW adds it would, “like to see such programmes extended to other localities in the future”.
“Parents, in particular mothers, can organise their working time better and in certain circumstances move into full time posts or take up better paid jobs that cannot be offered on a part-time basis.”
In Budget 2010, the NCW said it would also like to see particular attention given to the development of strong policies that focus on future skills for future jobs in areas such as ITC, alternative energy and health and long-term care which should be Malta’s future sectors for economic growth and job creation.
“The Council, in its recommendations, is also looking ahead because 2010 is the European Year to combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, therefore it is crucial that Budget 2010 will address ‘in-work’ poverty to identify the specific financial needs of all types of families in Malta who are at risk of poverty.”
The NCW noted that the pre-budget 2010 consultation document, while seeking to avoid economic pitfalls, is aiming at sustaining the health and social systems in an attempt to build stability – indeed not an easy task in the current circumstances.
It adds, “The Council notes that government has remained on track in its policies to increase the participation rate of women in the labour market, focusing more on family-friendly measures rather than financial incentives that have been introduced in previous budgets.
“Budget proposals are pushing for more widely used flexible working hours in the public sector.”