The National Council of Women Annual General Meeting
“Towards a regeneration for the Future”
NCW Malta Annual General Meeting 2021 was held at The Palace Hotel Sliema on Thursday 22 July 2021 In her opening address, outgoing NCW President, Mary Gaerty, called on the Assembly to join her in a prayer for past members of NCW, for those who lost their life due to the Covid-19 and for the women whose lives were taken away due to femicide, which saw an increase during Covid-19.
She highlighted her very valid work during her term as president of the National Council of Women. She emphasized the importance of Lifelong Learning as an opportunity to continue learning, developing our skills and reskilling as otherwise we risk being left behind. The digital transformation is key to the future for employment and for all areas of everyday life – be it work practices, addressing climate change and the green economy amongst many others
Outgoing Hon General Secretary, Doris Bingley highlighted the current and future role of the National Council of Women ‘towards a regeneration for the future’. She referred to the impact of COVID 19 not only on NCW activities but more so the enormous social and economic implications at all levels of society. She gave an overview of the online courses that NCW organised in 2020. NCW went virtual through a number of very informative webinars that were very well attended.
The National Council of Women has recognition on a number of boards both locally and International, where NCW representatives share their expertise and experience on women’s rights and equality.
Hon General Secretary Doris Bingley concluded by stating that “the relevance and importance of the role of the National Council of Women after 56 years of existance has brought progress and success to many women in our society especially at grassroots level”. She urged the Affiliated Organisations to link with NCW, to share news updates and to continue to support NCW in 2021 to promote equality, fight discrimination and promote women in all sectors of decision making.
NCW programme 2021 will focus on a number of resolutions from previous years that are still relevant today. Vice-President Grace Attard gave a brief presentation on the Resolutions for 2021, stating their relevance to the present and future developments in line with the EU Commission’s work programme.
As a Council of Women, NCW believes that its role is to ensure a ‘regeneration for the future’ more effectively for all sectors of society, men and women and urged all the members present to identify how they, as individuals can be instruments of change for themselves and for others in collaboration with the incoming Executive Committee 2021
The following Resolutions 2021 were approved by the Assembly: Digitalisation and Sustainability - need for action from a civil society perspective; Youth engagement in climate change and sustainability; New Skills/Social Inclusion; Gender Equality in the Energy Sector; Equal participation of women and men in the labour market and the changing face of work and family life under COVID-19; The need to guarantee real rights of persons with disabilities to vote in elections; The underlying factors in bridging the digital gender gap.
The NCW Executive Committee for 2021 was approved by the Assembly:
President Doreen Borg Zammit
Hon General Secretary Dr. Josette Barbara Cardona
1st Vice-President Grace Attard MQR,
Vice President Lara Gail Dougall
Vice-President Diane Xuereb
Hon Treasurer, Dr. Rebecca Wellman
Members: Therese Cassola, Marie Demicoli, Helen Cremona, Gertrude Abela MQR, Sarah Xerri, Mary Buttigieg Said and Nadya Anna Mangion;
Legal Advisor Dr Elizabeth Gaerty
Ex-Officio Mary Gaerty (Past President); Ex-Officio Doris Bingley (Hon General Secretary)
In her concluding remarks, newly elected President Doreen Borg Zammit thanked the members who attended the AGM and who showed their trust by voting her as President. She
promised to do her best to be fully committed to NCW Ideal of service and together with the newly elected Executive Committee continue to carry out the many worthwhile projects that NCW undertakes for the benefit of society. She took the opportunity to thank the outgoing members of the previous committee.
At the end of the General Meeting participants of the Digital Entrepreneurship Course were presented with Certificates in the presence of HSBC Malta Foundation Representative Mariella Campbell and Lecturer Mary Downing. The Digital Entrepreneurship Programme was organized by NCW with the support of HSBC Malta Foundation.
Grace Attard
Vice President
National Council of Women Malt a