Country fiche on gender equality and policy developments : Malta : 1st quarter 2013

Abstract

Women’s employment rate (15-64) in 2011 showed a slight increase from 2010 (41.0% up 1.7 p.p.); however, it is still low when compared with the EU27 average (58.5%). By contrast, men’s employment rate was 73.6%, up 1.2 p.p. from 2010. Consequently, the gender employment gap (32.6 p.p. in 2011) is high in comparison to the EU27 average (11.6 p.p.).

The unemployment rate (15-24) is especially high compared with other age cohorts. Women’s share in 2011 was 13.8% (an increase of 1.6 p.p. from 2010); men’s rate remained the same (13.7%). Figures for the 2011 EU average are 20.7% and 21.8% for women and men respectively. Formal childcare for children under 3 years in 2010 showed a low coverage at 11% which was 17 p.p. lower than the EU 27 average. Formal childcare for children aged 3 to compulsory school age in 2010 stood at 74% which was 10 p.p. lower than EU 27 average. Formal childcare for children aged from compulsory school age up to 12 in 2010 indicated a high 98% (3 p.p. higher than the EU 27 average).

Key country features include teenage pregnancies (255 live births to women under 20 years (6.36% of total live births in 2010); lone mothers (1,010 women, i.e. 25% of children born in 2010 were to lone mothers); and domestic violence (in total, 659 persons according to the Demographic Review 2010).1

In the run up to general elections, the current hot policy debates on gender equality are: (1) increasing women’s participation in the labour market through more accessible and affordable childcare. More specifically, one party is promising a 5 million euro investment in free childcare to full-time working women and lone mothers, while the other party promises an investment of 3.5 million euro for the provision of cash vouchers to the parent with the higher income; (2) introducing a quota of 40% of women on boards and committees.