No room at the top : gendered forces behind women's lives and their reflection in Maltese politics

Abstract

This study is a small contribution to the debate about gender equality with a focus on Women and Politics in Malta. It asks whether women's representation in elected office reflects claims to gender equality in a truly democratic society, and provides an insight into women's lived reality and men's perception of their female counterparts. The study adopts a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with men and women members of parliament, representatives of local councils, and other relevant entities. The findings suggest that the strong pressure to traditional roles is embedded in Maltese culture and social norms to the extent that while women struggle to reach the top and stay there, their male counterparts in the House of Representatives seem oblivious of the gendered forces behind their lives and their reflection in Maltese politics. In preparing this work, thanks are due to the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Malta Office) for funding this research, the women in the focus groups, and members of parliament for enthusiastic participation in the study.