Maltese Delegation attends gender equality conference in Stockholm

A Maltese delegation representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy has recently represented Malta in a Ministerial Conference held in Stockholm between the 3^rd and the 4^th of November. The Delegation was led by the Hon. Helen D'Amato, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Social Affairs Committee and Ms. Margaret Mercieca representing the Commission for the Advancement of Women.

The Conference named 'Equal Pay and Economic Interdependence as a Basis for Gender Equality', was addressed by various politicians and experts in the field of gender issues. The Maltese delegation participated both at plenary and workshop levels and also paid a study visit to a shelter for battered women.

The two day conference focused primarily on the issue of equal pay for work of equal value and this was the first time that EU member states and candidate countries discussed pay differentials, equal opportunities for men and women and enlargement. The Conference stressed on the need to make unwarranted pay differentials visible. Importance was also given to the need for efficient pay analysis and work assessment by way of eliminating any unwarranted differentials.

Family friendly initiatives were also discussed and examples of good practice were presented from the participating countries. The role of Trade Unions and Employers as social partners was also highlighted.

Along with the main theme conference participants came out with the following recommendations –

• Gender equality must be a priority area and efforts to reduce pay gaps should be stepped up;
• Benchmarking should be one of the methods to speed up work on gender equality. Another step should be to introduce action plans for gender equality;
• Women's representation and democratic influence must be intensified;

• Women and men should have the same access to and influence on the new information technologies;
• Gender equality must be taken into account in the enlargement process. The conditions of women and the advancement of gender equality in present and future member states should be safeguarded;
• Violence against women and trafficking must be stopped;
• Unemployment and poverty are severe afflictions and hamper the progress of gender equality.

Goran Persson, Sweden's Prime Minister also addressed the Conference. "Let me begin with a simple statement: we didn't quite make it. In less than 60 days we will be leaving the 20^th century behind. And we have still not achieved equality between women and men of Europe. We have a long road ahead of us", he said.