Malta backs EU proposal to tacke boardroom gender inequality

Malta is backing a proposed EU directive aimed at addressing women’s under-representation in economic decision-making by setting a threshold of 40% for the proportion of the under-represented sex on the boards of listed companies by 2020 (by 2018 in the case of public undertakings).

Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli told an EU ministerial meeting that, whilst significant progress in the field of equality has been achieved, statistics showed that gender equality remained very much a work-in-progress, and that inequalities within and between EU Member States persist.

“Women continue to be under-represented in the labour market, and experience a significant pay gap and pension gap later on in life.” Dr Dalli said.

Malta was a signatory to the joint letter sent to the Commission earlier this year, calling for an EU Strategy for Equality between women and men, and for a reinforced governance of gender equality in the EU. Minister Dalli expressed her regret at seeing the long-awaited Gender Equality Strategy for the EU “being reduced to a Commission staff working document”, and in this regard reiterated her call for a gender equality strategy for the EU. 

Minister Dalli also...