NCW Malta
Nature of Organisation
The National Council of Women of Malta (NCW) is an independent, non-sectarian, voluntary organisation based on adult, individual membership and the affiliation of non-governmental organisations. As a co-ordinating body it aims to act to improve the status of women and the well-being of society; to present a broad and comprehensive view of women's opinions on matters of national interest based on human rights
The National Council of Women Malta, working with its affiliated associations, is the leading women’s organisation responding to consultation papers from Government and other agencies. Together with its affiliated organisations, NCW analysis opinions and concerns and submits related documents to members of Parliament, Ministries and Government bodies, Commissions and other stakeholders and regularly follows them up.
Over the years, NCW has acted as a pressure group on government policy through resolutions that are approved at the Annual General Meetings, and memoranda and documents addressed to specific ministries and other relevant stakeholders. Their impact on public opinion has been considerable. Many of these resolutions have been accepted and incorporated in legislation. .NCW carries out research on topics dealing with social policy, education and gender equality
NCW issues a quarterly newsletter entitled Il-Mara (Woman), containing news on the Council, reports on the Council’s major events and those upcoming in the following three months, informative articles on current issues and news on international events.
NCW is a Learning Centre for Adults where Lifelong Learning Programmes in Empowerment, English, Maltese, Mathematics and ITC are run for men and women of all ages. NCW also organises courses in leadership, introduction to entrepreneurship and public speaking amongst others. NCW regularly orgnaises talks and seminars for different sectors of society
NCW also publishes articles and press releases in local newspapers and participates in TV and radio discussion programmes. The Council studies and presents proposals on current national issues, such as family friendly structures at the workplace; flexicurity; gender mainstreaming; consumer information; domestic violence; children’s rights; environmental issues and women’s health; equal opportunities for women and men and other emerging issues.
Subjects of current concern are studied and formulates resolutions based on current issues to underpin and strengthen NCW’s work with Government and NCW affiliates.
NCW Malta is a member of the International Council of Women (ICW) which is a UN-accredited NGO with affiliated national councils from every continent.
ICW has permanent representatives at meetings of UN agencies in New York,
Vienna, Geneva, Rome, Paris and Nairobi. It holds advocacy sessions annually at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
ICW offers training on CEDAW reporting (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women)
NCW Malta has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Doreen Micallef is Vice-President of the European Centre of the International
Council of Women (ECICW) which is in consultative status with the Council
of Europe.
Grace Attard represents the Maltese Civil Society as a member of the European Economic and Social Committee,(EESC) working in the SOC Section, (Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship) and the Euromed Follow-Up Committee
Doris Bingley is a member of the Commonwealth Foundation Civil Society
Advisory Committee based in London and focal point for the Commonwealth
Women’s Network.
NCW Malta is a member of the MEUSAC and on the Civil Society Committee of MCESD
NCW Malta holds the Vice-Presidency of the Forum of Civil Society Organisations (Malta)
NCW is a member organisation of the Anna Lindh Foundation Network.
NCW is an associate member of the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) and an associate member of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL)
NCW chaired the working group on Gender Equality legislation
NCW was also a member of the working group on Domestic Violence and the Voluntary Organisations Legislation
Thirty three local organisations are affiliated to the National Council of Women of Malta