Bring out the women

Policymakers have attempted to lure women back to the labour market with tax-free initiatives and tax rebates for their employers, but it appears there is still a long way to go to attract women into the political arena and increase their representation in local and national political fora.

The highest female representation in Malta was registered in 1951, when four women out of 40 MPs (10%) were elected in parliament. Today, there are only six women out of 69 MPs (8.7%).

It cannot be said that Maltese civic life has been totally dominated by men. Women like Gabi Calleja of the Malta Gay Rights Movement, Astrid Vella from Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar, Simone Mizzi from Din l-Art Helwa, or Renee Laiviera from the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations, as well as political party officials like the PN’s Paula Mifsud Bonnici and Marthese Bonello and the PL’s Lydia Abela, have shown there is nothing that stops women from taking the lead in civil action and political organisation.

And to judge by the success of women MPs in Malta, it is clear that just like their counterparts, all voters are interested in electing the best person to represent them: Giovanna Debono has been returned to power every election since 1987; Dolores Cristina, formerly mayor of Swieqi, has been returned to parliament every election since 1998; likewise Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, whose activism inside Labour spans 33 years and even the only woman to ever occupy the post of party secretary-general; Helena Dalli has been elected from two districts and been an MP ever since 1996.

To go by the history of such women and forebears like Labour minister and later President of the Republic Agatha Barbara, or Mabel Strickland at the helm of the Constitutional Party, it is clear that like men, it is only the political animals that truly succeed at the political game. There are no different rules for the women.

Or are there?

Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono shies away from the term ‘political animal’. “I consider myself to have stood by the values and motives that inspired me to contribute to my country as a politician. For me, this has always signified ‘being of service to the country and its people’.”

So is it that fewer women seem to be interested in partisan politics? Debono disagrees: “Compared to a few decades ago I think the political scene has an encouraging number of women, notwithstanding the fact that there’s room for increase,” she says.

Just like Debono, Education minster Dolores Cristina refutes the ‘political animal’ tag. “I’m afraid I have never been able to identify the political animal in me,” she says. “I was very surprised at how much I actually enjoyed politics after spending most of my life being very sceptical and cynical about the political scene and politicians in general.”

But she admits she is not “particularly impressed” by the way parties try to attract female candidates.

“Politics is not just about instant candidature. There are so many different areas where women should be present and active. Trade unionism is one of these. The dearth of women here has always been a cause of grave concern for me,” Cristina says.

Cristina argues that women are still very diffident when it comes to participation in partisan politics.

“It’s part of the female psyche and is not just a local phenomenon. It isn’t so much a lack of interest as a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as an ingrained cultural trait,” she says.

“When it comes to contesting national elections, misperceptions about resources and networks needed hold back a number of very valid women from taking the plunge.”

In fact, Cristina says she has always had “very low-profile, low-cost campaigns” in comparison to the other ministers and MPs.

So if individuals like Cristina and Debono can do it, why can’t others? Do they just choose to be part of civil action groups and stop from crossing over the political threshold of hard, political campaigning where they must cut their teeth canvassing and ingratiating themselves with constituents?

“Being part of an NGO carries an aura of altruism with it that participating in politics does not,” Cristina argues. “Moving into politics brings with it a sense of public exposure and commitment that is far higher than that felt when one is part of an NGO. Many women shy away from the political scene because they fear that family life will be adversely affected.”

Family concerns

According to the leader of the pro-divorce campaign Deborah Schembri, who is now a Labour candidate, women are not being helped much by the media and the parties themselves. “We have always been at a little bit of a disadvantage and society hasn’t helped. There is a whole controversy about whether there should be quotas for women in parliament. But I believe that there shouldn’t be a quota for women but for a quota of the opposite sex in the majority.”

Schembri also argues that, as well as the lack of proper infrastructure, many women believe politics is dirty. “There’s also the fear that they and their family might end up in the media, overexposed, for something wrong which might happen.”

Schembri is herself a single parent. Some might argue that while the husband would hold the wife back, a single parent might be freer to go her way. But Schembri disagrees: “Being a single mother does not give more time, it gives me less support. In reality, a woman with a large family might be helpful as the older siblings can help take care of the younger ones.

“There might be cases where a woman’s husband wouldn’t like his wife and his family to be in the limelight, because eventually they’ll all be exposed. But it’s a different situation to saying she wouldn’t be able to manage between her commitments.”

NGOs over political parties

Labour MPs Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and Helena Dalli, two strong female figures in politics, argue women might be put off by the way “hard” politics is carried out.

“Political parties still seem to be a man’s world, even though recently more women were recruited,” Coleiro Preca says. “On the other hand, I believe that women must learn to network more, to be more supportive of each other.  Men have learnt this a long time ago.”

Dalli concurs. Women might be discouraged by “the hard way politics are carried out”.

“Especially after the international economic downturn, analysts are talking more about a soft and smart approach to power which is more in line with the way women, by and large, prefer to manage and make decisions,” Dalli says.

But both MPs agreed that women with families still find it harder to give a service in politics because of a difficulty in balancing work and family responsibilities.

“A number of structures have to be in place to encourage women to participate in public life and politics. For example, if one considers the time that parliament meets it is enough to understand what a lot of time-management and organisation, a mother in particular has to conduct to manage in time for a sitting in Parliament.

“And there isn’t even a nursery or adequate child facilities for a mother MP to bring a long her child if needs be,” Coleiro Preca says.

Dalli argues that women tend to steer away from partisan politics, and instead choose NGOs because of the more flexible hours found in the movements.

“Those who entered politics and survived have managed maybe because we conformed to the rules and values of men while trying to change things.

“Being on the inside we are better placed to bring about these changes and we are seeing some results as men are realising that they need more women in politics,” Dalli says.

Secret to female success

Professor John Lane, whose admirable research into Maltese elections is indisputably unique, says the difference in the recruitment of women candidates between political parties is not down to ideology.

Lane’s own in-depth extrapolation of election data and transfers from ballots indicates there is no evidence that Maltese voters have significantly or consistently favoured male over
female candidates when they cast their votes and ranked their preferences among candidates of their party.

“Female candidates fare about as well as their male counterparts. Simply put, the sparseness of their number in the Maltese legislature stems not from their collective failure as candidates; it results from the failure of party elites to recruit them in greater numbers...”

Political parties have in the last years made an extra effort in trying to convince women to join the parties, at least to contest for the local councils elections.

Sliema Labour councillor Marianne Aquilina, who was last week elected for her 10th year on the council with 767 votes – says the problem lies within the women’s fear of not being elected.

“The fear of not being elected is what I believe women find the most difficult,” Aquilina says.

“At least, from what I see, women repeatedly ask: ‘and what if I’m not elected?’”.

But she says women must also learn how to manage time and make it a must to meet with the people and carry out your work. “Obviously, family problems come up but then one must find time to make up for the time lost.”

Labour party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi says his party has acted positively to encourage more female candidates. “The party believes that the Maltese political system requires more women to be on the forefront. The party administration has been active to encourage more women to work within the party structures as well as to contest elections.”

But notwithstanding the PL’s “pro-active” approach, female participation is still low. “A more structured approach is necessary to ensure that more females participate in politics yet this can happen only if women are brought to the forefront in society.”

PN secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier highlights the successes of the Nationalist government, citing 8,294 more women in gainful employment in the past five years (19.5% increase in female full-time employment); and that since 2008 women occupying top civil service positions have increased by 34%.

“In the last local elections the PN fielded the highest number of women candidates, 23% versus 18% for Labour. 18% of local councillors elected last Saturday are women,” Borg Olivier says.

But he concedes that gender equality is not about numbers. “It is about bringing to public policy and decision-making the different experiences, expertise and capabilities women have in particular.”

Structural changes

With the advent of divorce in 2011, there’s no question that Maltese society is changing, while government’s policies are trying to change the role of the woman from housewife to co-breadwinner.

But journalist Caroline Muscat disputes the discourse, saying inequality between men and women is structural.

“In Malta, women are still viewed as the ultimate reservoir of traditional values; the pillar that holds the family together. Fundamental shifts are needed in local culture, in national laws and in business practices.”

Analysing the pre-Budget document for 2012, Muscat argues that while the government admits the decline in female participation in the labour market has persisted, notwithstanding the tax incentives and the introduction of childcare centres over the years, Eurostat figures show government investment in services such as childcare facilities and afterschool care is 0.2% of GDP – “one of the lowest in the EU”.

And while women represent 50.45% of the population, they are poorly represented in the power structure (just 8.7% of MPs, a minority on government boards and committees, while positions in the judiciary overwhelmingly held by men).

“Stereotypes are being reinforced by political discourse that places the family at the centre of policy, where the benefits to women are allocated based on their status as mothers and wives.

“Women cannot truly participate on an equal footing with men as long as social pressure and inadequate support structures ensure they remain the sole or primary childcare givers and home-makers.”

Muscat looks towards other EU countries that established quotas to increase female participation in parliament:

“We need to take temporary positive action... If the concern on quotas is that women will get to occupy positions of power based on their gender rather than skill, and if incompetent women are elected, there would surely not be enough to balance out the number of incompetent men who have been filling decision-making posts for decades.”

And she shoots down arguments that male politicians might be driven by ‘power’ while women choose politics to achieve ‘concrete change’.

“These are stereotypes. They are personality traits related to individuals.

“It’s the same kind of thinking that sustains notions that men should be breadwinners while women remain primary caregivers,” she insists.

Instead, it seems women might be demotivated to enter politics by the precariousness of family finances, says Renee Laiviera from the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations: “Women tend to think more of their family before they decide whether to use the money for themselves or not.

“Running for politics is also a question of money.”