The parliamentary gender reform was raised alongside other issues during 'INDAQS': a special program on NET TV in celebration of Women's Day, Monday 8th March. The programme aimed to raise awareness of problems that women are facing today in Malta, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The programme featured PN Leader Bernard Grech and his wife Anne-Marie Grech, as well as other PN MPs and spokespeople discussing parliament, the prostitution reform, how Covid-19 has affected women and the work-life balance for women.
Spokeswoman for Social Policy and Families Claudette Buttigieg said that the efforts which women make in politics are overlooked and ignored. "Everyone who has principles and values should have a place in politics", she said. She also said with regards to the upcoming election that one should not be awarded a seat in parliament simply because they are a woman, but because they are a hard-worker who has earned their place.
Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech said that a mechanism shouldn't be needed to get women into parliament, as they should be able to be awarded a seat based on their own capabilities. "Why is it that women have excelled in other professions - like teachers and lawyers - but not in parliament? There must be something holding them back. We need to remove all obstacles, and the mechanism is one of these obstacles", he said.
Spokesperson for Human Rights and Good Governance Therese Comodini Cachia said that women in power face sexism and aggression daily. She used the words of Daphne Caruana Galizia to emphasize her point: "I, as a woman, am talked to aggressively because I am a woman". It is this ingrained sexism toward women who have a voice which demands to be heard that has compelled women to step away from politics, she said.
Prostitution Reform
Senior Lecturer Dr Anna Borg discussed the possibility of implementing the 'Nordic model' of prostitution in Malta. This approach decriminalizes those who sell sex and criminalises buyers and pimps.
Vice-President of the European Union Roberta Metsola discussed the benefits of the Nordic model, saying that the approach will protect vulnerable people who are targeted with abuse by both pimps and buyers. Those who are being abused in this way are currently facing a law which does not support them, she said.
Grech closed the topic by saying that prostitution enables human trafficking to flourish. He implored the law to give more focus to sexual health, in order for people to recognize their worth and avoid being stuck in a cycle of abuse.
Women and Covid-19
Anxiety, depression and stress levels have increased since the start of the pandemic for women, the PN leader said.
Representative of the eleventh District electoral division Maria Deguara said that Malta is indebted to women for the work they carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Three-quarters of front-liners are women and 80% of health workers are women" she said.
In continuation, Grech asked fathers to make efforts to spend time with the children alongside mothers. "Don't abdicate from this responsibility. Every hour you don't spend with your children is an hour lost", he said.
In this section, Grech also stressed the need for a more effective roll-out for vaccination; a topic which has been at the top of his agenda following the alarming number of Covid infections last Thursday. He said that people who have emigrated from Malta and people who are no longer alive are receiving their invitations to get the vaccine, which is unfair for the vulnerable and those over the age of 75 who are still waiting on their own invitations.
Work-life balance
Member of the EU's Parliament Bureau David Casa said that both men and women deserve a clear work-life balance and that the EU is instigating a new directive to create a clearer work-life balance for Maltese citizens. This new directive enables men to get two weeks of paternity leave, as opposed to only one day for the child' delivery. It will also grant carers five days of leave to help a family member when they need help.