As a country we are failing when it comes to women in politics. The number of women in politics is still too low. I believe that we should have more female representation in Parliament, and in politics in general. The last legislature included 10 women among its 69 MPs, a significant increase on previous years, but still leaving Malta in a miserable 143rd place worldwide for female representation. Only eight women were elected to Parliament in the recent election, although that number rose to 10 after the casual elections. It still means women make up only 15% of the house.

But why are women less likely to partcipate in politics? We have been boasting that we are getting more female graduates than male, but what is keeping them away from entering the political arena? Before the general election the Prime Minister made it very clear that he was not happy with this situation and that this would be addressed in the new legislature. To this effect, a number of proposals were included in Labour’s electoral manifesto to promote a more gender balanced parliament.

I believe the major political parties are mainly to blame for this matter. They simply did not do enough to present a bigger list of female candidates. It is up to the party structures to ensure better proportionality when it comes to candidate selection. In the election in June, 11 of the 70 Labour Party candidates were female (16%),  24 out of 102 Nationalist Party candidates were female (24%), and 4 out of the 11 Democratic Party candidates (36%) were female. The electorate did not have a wide choice of female candidates to choose from.

The Labour Party has taken the first bold step forward, by launching the initiative called LEAD, headed by MEP Miriam Dalli. The aim of this initiative is to increase Labour female election candidates to 50% by 2027. When addressing the party’s extraordinary general conference, Miriam Dalli said that the first phase of the initiative would start in two years’ time when the Labour Party aimed to have women making up 40% of its candidates in the elections for the European Parliament, and 35% of its local council candidates.

Increased female participation in public life in general, including politics, is a matter of principle. Gender equality has always been a fundamental value for the Labour Party. It was the first to grant women the right to vote, to pay women equally as men for the same work, to appoint the first female Minister, the first female Speaker, and the first female President. In the past 4 years, the government worked industriously to increase female participation in the workforce. As a result, women in employment increased by 18,000, which is a 32% increase when compared to 2012. Through various initiatives, such as the introduction of free child care centres, after school clubs, the Maternity Leave Fund, an increase in the Maternity Leave Benefit rate and the introduction of maternity leave for women in self-employment, women are now finding it easier to juggle work and family. Significant progress has been made, but I believe we are still far from where we should be. A number of proposals designed to enhance gender equality at all levels were included in Labour’s electoral programme. The Government has the mandate to promote gender quotas for the next general election.

The discussion has already started, with diverging opinions and various ideas being floated. Some are arguing that the way the Maltese Parliament works today is what is causing women to stay away. The argument is that a Parliament that meets from 6 to 9:30 in the evening is not family friendly. There are those who believe that a full time Parliament would attract more women, or indeed any measure that gave a better work-life balance. I believe that these steps would help the cause, but would not solve the matter on their own. Parliamentary quotas to discriminate in favour of women are a necessary evil; we must adopt them, at least for a period of time.

To increase female participation we also need a culture change. The system needs a shakeup. Gender quotas at the polls alone will not make women automatically gravitate towards politics. There needs to be a bigger discussion on the parliamentary reforms that are required to ensure a contemporary parliament that reflects a fast-evolving society. I am confident that it is the Labour Party that has the credentials to implement this change. The people have trusted us to deliver this change, and we must deliver. With an improved female participation in politics, it is the society at large that stands to gain.

 

Alex Muscat is a Labour Party MP and Deputy OPM Chief of Staff