Presentation of Certificates by Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi at the E.T.C.

Women advancement is a complex issue which needs to be addressed within the cultural context of Maltese society. Minister for Social Policy, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, spoke about the need for more women to be actively involved in all spheres of Maltese society, be it the public as well as the private sector. He was speaking during a ceremony which marked the end of a training programme designed for trainers for Women Returners during which he presented certificates of completion to the participants.

The course was delivered by Ms. Monika Buetel of the Women Returner's Network in the UK. It was aimed to train a group of trainers to develop their skills in handling women returning to the labour market, to help them with their job seeking skills and interviewing techniques.

During the ceremony, Dr. Gonzi said that we need to empower more women to re-introduce themselves in the labour market. A femininisation of the work ethic in Malta can only be achieved through women experiences in the labour force. Malta's cultural context and demands do not always favour women, and a significant effort needs to be made to move towards a more women-inclusive society.

Dr. Gonzi earlier this week met Ms. Beutel during which she spoke about her experinces in Women Returners in the UK. Ms. Beutel has been visiting Malta to offer consultancy services to the Employment and Training Corporation as well as the Worker's Participation Development Centre.