Artists worth their salt are capable to turn canvas or any other material into a work of art, even masterpieces, with the strokes of a paintbrush. They give us stunning illustrations. The Beheading of St John the Baptist is a superb example, noted for its visual composition, dramatic palette and its blend of spectacle and piety.
Numbers also tend to give us a picture. Some pictures are pleasant to look at, while others make a meagre scene. Numbers, if used properly, can and should help policymakers identify weaknesses and beef up or introduce new initiatives to improve any situation which merits their effort. The World Economic Forum’s recent publication showed that Malta is running adrift in the Global Gender Gap Index. Unfortunately, within the last four years, Malta has lost 24 places in this Index, from the 84 to the 108 position from amongst 144 countries.
A quick look at the Global Gender Gap Index illustrates clearly that our policymakers were either on a long holiday or were too happy busy doing nothing. Time has come for our policymakers to roll up their sleeves and take the necessary actions to address this dismal showing.
Recent data by the Eurostat showed that at EU level the gender employment gap, defined as the difference between the employment rates of men and women aged 20-64, stood at 10.4 percentage points in 2015: that of women being only 60.4% against that of 70.8% for men. To put it in concrete terms, this differential corresponds to 17 million women, which is roughly the entire population of the Netherlands. Yet average figures mask a huge difference among EU countries: Italy, Greece and Malta are amongst the worst performers, while the Scandinavian and Baltic countries provide more gender-balanced employment opportunities.
The Eurostat data corroborate the figures published by the World Economic Forum on the Global Gender Gap Index. A quick look at some figures revealed Malta’s miserable performance. With regard to female participation in the decision-making process, Malta has lost 41 places and now stands at the 121st position. In terms of education, Malta has lost 53 places, from the 58th position to the 111th position. It is a free fall when it comes to equality: with respect to gender pay gap, Malta has fallen from the 19th position to the 49th, a drop of no less 30 places.
To be fair, the World Economic Forum predicts that the gender gap will not close entirely until 2186. This is too long to wait, but with Malta’s dismal figures the gender gap issue may be even further delayed and gender parity remains an issue beyond reach.
The International Women’s Day is a vehicle for change. Last year, organizations and individuals around the world supported the #PledgeForParity campaign, and committed to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, challenge conscious and unconscious bias, call for gender-balanced leadership, value women’s and men's contributions equally, and create inclusive flexible cultures. From awareness-raising to concrete action, organizations rallied their people to pledge support to help forge gender parity on International Women’s Day and beyond. This year, the international community asked all stakeholders and policy makers to #BeBoldForChange to mark this year’s Women’s Day.
While it is important to celebrate the 8 of March, it is imperative that throughout the other days of the year every effort is made to ensure that the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women are improved.
This becomes even more important in view that talent and technology together will determine how the Fourth Industrial Revolution can be harnessed to deliver sustainable economic growth and innumerable benefits to society. It goes without saying that the input of women in this regard is vital. Yet if Malta continues to score very poorly in the Global Gender Gap Index, the necessary transformation of our society will be compromised and risk raise inequality even further.
However, what needs to be avoided in addressing this issue is stubbornness and arrogance of which we had a large dose last week, with the former Broadcasting Authority Chairperson, Mrs Tanya Borg Cardona, manifestly allowing herself to play into the hands of the current administration. It now appears to be one of Mrs Borg Cardona weaknesses. Sadly she had accepted two conflicting duties simultaneously, a post protected by the Constitution of Malta - that of Chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority - and a position of trust within the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office. This administration has marred the promotion of equality, not least with Mrs Borg Cardona’s two conflicting appointments.
But as if this was not bad enough, Mrs Borg Cardona will go down as the first politically appointed chairperson who had to surrender to pressure exercised by a workers’ union, setting a very serious precedent. Politically appointed chairpersons should have, at minimum, basic knowledge of best practices in conducting healthy industrial relations at the place of work and if they do not, then they should engage professionals to deal with the unions’ and workers’ grievances. I am sure unions’ representatives would greatly appreciate the move.
A renewed and well-motivated effort is urgently required at a national level to ensure that the widening of the current gender gap is halted and reversed with the introduction of proper measures. Indeed, this year’s International Women’s campaign #BeBoldForChange is very pertinent.
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