Women's Participation in Decision-Making
Addressing the issue of women's participation in decision-making is one of the six priorities of the EU Roadmap for Equality between Women and Men 2006-2010 and its follow-up as part of the EU Commission review of the strategy
NCW study on Perceived Obstacles to the participation of women in decision-making posts in collaboration with the National Statistics Office
Perceived Obstacles to the participation of women in decision-making posts
Main findings
Gender Balance Representation in National Parliament
- 81% women think that there should be a balance between male and female representation in parliament
(more single women than married women)
(more married men than single men)
- 46% respondents think that men are more suitable than women for the role
Perceptions
Women's participation in political decision-making
Local government
Gender balance representation in Local Councils
Positive
- It is the right of both sexes (43%)
- Women and men complement each other(29%)
- Women have leadership skills (22%)
- Women are more sensitive (4%))
- Women can solve problems more peacefully than men(1%)
Negative
- Men are more suitable (33%)
- Women should look after the family(15%)
- Women haven't got the time (16%)
- Women are not good leaders (3%)
- Other reasons (30%)
Gender balance Representation in National Parliament
Positive
It is the right of both sexes (41%)
Women and men complement each other(29%)
Women have leadership skills (24%)
Women are more sensitive (3%))
Women can solve problems more peacefully than men(2%)
Gender Balance Representation in National Parliament
Negative
Men are mores suitable (45%)
Women should look after the family(12%)
Women haven't got the time (11%)
Women are not good leaders (4%)
Perceived Obstacles to women in obtaining decision-making /managerial posts
Obstacles
- Qualifications (71%)
- Competition (68.8%)
- Long hours (75.8%)
- Gender(32.6%)\
- Child responsibilities (83%)
- Elderly responsibilities(71%)
- Family responsibilities (74%)
- Lack of partner support (82.6%)
- Lack of family support (72%)
Reasons for wanting a promotion: men
- Better salary (76%)
- Job satisfaction (23%)
Reasons for wanting a promotion: women
- Job satisfaction (46%)
- Better salary (54%)
Respondents who consider becoming members of a local council by sex
men (0,8 %) women (1.4%)
Respondents who would not consider becoming members of a local council by sex
men (93.2%) women (94.1%)
European Parliament
The number of women elected as European members of Parliament in the elections of 4 June 2009 has risen from 30% to 35%. This is a good result but not yet good enough Malta fails to elect one single woman in spite of the NCW campaign
The distribution of women in the European Parliament in the 7th legislature (2009-2014)
Member State | Number of MEPs | Number of women | % |
Finland | 13 | 8 | 61.54 |
Sweden | 18 | 10 | 55.56 |
Estonia | 6 | 3 | 50.00 |
Netherland | 25 | 12 | 48.00 |
Bulgaria | 13 | 6 | 46.15 |
Denmark | 72 | 33 | 45.83 |
France | 17 | 7 | 41.18 |
Austria | 17 | 7 | 41.18 |
Slovakia | 13 | 5 | 38.46 |
Latvia | 8 | 3 | 37.50 |
Germany | 99 | 37 | 37.37 |
Belgium | 22 | 8 | 36.36 |
Hungary | 22 | 8 | 36.36 |
Portugal | 22 | 8 | 36.36 |
Romania | 33 | 12 | 36.36 |
Spain | 50 | 18 | 36.00 |
UK | 72 | 24 | 33.33 |
Cyprus | 6 | 2 | 33.33 |
Greece | 22 | 7 | 31.82 |
Slovenia | 7 | 2 | 28.57 |
Ireland | 12 | 3 | 25.00 |
Lithuania | 12 | 3 | 25.00 |
Italy | 72 | 16 | 22.22 |
Poland | 50 | 11 | 22.00 |
Czech Republic | 22 | 4 | 18.18 |
Luxembourg | 6 | 1 | 16.67 |
Malta | 5 | 0 | 0.00 |
Recommendations
Gender equality in decision-making in politics and in the economy cannot be addressed in a vacuum. It requires an integrated approach
The role of Political Parties
At local and national level
- Addressing and removing the variety of obstacles to women's representation in decision-making and leadership posts
- Establishment of quotas and other special measures including affirmative action to enhance women's representation:
The role of Trade Unions
- Making decision-making posts for women accessible
- Training
- Family-friendly organisation of time for meetings
The role of the Private Sector
leadership training, mentoring and networking for women .
reducing the competing demands on women's time by establishing paternity leaves and by providing other innovative child/elderly/dependent family members care
The Media
- Promoting a balanced and non-stereotypical portrayal of women and men
also addressed the ways in which gender roles and relationships were presented in teaching materials, text books and school curricula recognizing the education system as a potent force for socialization Actions to focus on representation of women and men in mass media programming and in advertising, including advertising on the Internet
- also addressed the ways in which gender roles and relationships were presented in teaching materials, text books and school curricula recognizing the education system as a potent force for socialization
- NGOs and local communities to include public awareness campaigns and competitions; seminars and round-tables, training for decision-makers and media professionals and application of legislative actions against sexism.
The role of Government
Gender Responsive Budgets
- Gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting is the identification of gender gaps and inequalities through the availability of statistical and other data.
- On-going activities to strengthen national capacity to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data
- Addressing and removing the variety of obstacles to women's representation in decision-making and leadership posts
- Establishment of quotas and other special measures including affirmative action to enhance women's representation:
- in political parties at central and local level,
- in the civil administration
- on government boards
- in the private sector,
- in the economy.
- leadership training, mentoring and networking for women .
- reducing the competing demands on women's time by establishing paternity leaves and by providing other innovative child/elderly/dependent family members care
Measures to improve women's access to employment
- Recognizing in particular working women's need for special pregnancy, maternity and child care, as well as for measures which ensure that they are not penalized for time out of work for child-bearing, and that they can easily re-integrate back into the labour force
- Introducing measures to attract economically inactive women into the labour force Strengthening knowledge of the impact of macro-economic policies on employment. Developing research focused on gender to enable the elaboration of efficient strategies aiming at strengthening the role of women in the economy.
- Increasing the numbers of men in traditionally female dominated occupations Introducing measures to decrease gender-based occupational segregation;
- Introducing measures to attract economically inactive women into the labour force
Women in Political Decision-making
The number of women elected as European members of Parliament in the elections of 4 June 2009 has risen from 30% to 35%. This is a good result but not yet good enough and definitely one that does not reflect Malta's state of affairs.
NCW reiterates its call on government, political parties, social partners and society at large to address the gender decision-making deficit in political and economic areas seriously. If current fragmented measures are not producing positive results then we need to go for something more structured - a National Action Plan for Positive Action, that as temporary measures have produced tangible results in many European countries
Grace Attard
President, NCW