The major political parties continue to insist that the recently approved bill to ensure gender parity in parliament was needed “to shock the system” and will “facilitate a wider and more inclusive debate in parliament” even though smaller parties will not benefit from it.

The bill functions as a corrective mechanism that is triggered when, if no more than two parties are elected into parliament and one gender makes up less than 40 per cent of the available seats, a maximum of 12 seats, six on either side of the house, can be added.

Smaller political parties have protested at the fact that third parties are excluded from the mechanism. However, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said the country has the lowest percentage of women in parliament in the European Union, and something needed to be done.

“Something is not working and we need to start addressing what’s not working today,” the minister said. 

“The reality is that we are dealing with a system that is traditionally dominated by men. In order to reach equality, we have to shock the system with positive measures to ensure a progressive transition.

“The law does not discriminate between genders, and any person elected to parliament through this mechanism will not be taking anyone’s place but would be added according to people’s preference.”

People should stop thinking that once a woman gets married or have children her political career should be over because their frame of mind leads them to believe that she can’t juggle, Dalli contended.

“I’m speaking from personal experience. There are many innate obstacles that men are rarely aware of and that women in politics have to experience,” she noted.

“Hence why we need more female role models. The more successful women in politics we have, the more we will get women interested and involved. The more women get involved, the more we can push for change to happen.”

Labour Party president Ramona Attard echoed the sentiment, adding that following Labour’s 2017 victory it was still disappointing to see the difference in numbers of men and women elected to parliament.

“It is the duty of this government to be at the forefront and implement reforms,” she said.

“Rest assured, that if this reform had not been implemented the next election would have yielded the same result of the previous ones – a parliament dominated mostly by male MPs.”

Attard said that she faced discrimination in her political career after having children, with the assumption that she would abandon politics, while the same assumptions are not made about male colleagues or MPs who play an active role in the upbringing of their children.

This will increase amount of women in Parliament but not in a meritocratic way

“This mechanism will restructure stereotypes which have been deeply rooted in our society for ages,” she said.

“This is just one of the first steps to re-examine our system which must be assisted with measures such as childcare and nursing facilities in parliament.”

Nationalist Party spokesperson for human rights Therese Comodini Cachia said that the mechanism in place would serve to bring a wider perspective to parliament.

“The system seeks to address a democratic deficit in the execution of the role of an MP,” Comodini Cachia said.

“It will make a difference in the debates taking place in parliament and also while drafting legislation.

“I do not see this mechanism as an incentive for women to contest, in that this is a decision that ought to be made irrespective of gender parity mechanisms. I do, however, expect the mechanism to facilitate a wider and more inclusive debate in parliament, thereby affecting the general social and cultural perception of women.”

However, to entice more people to enter politics much more is needed, she reckoned.

“The political system must itself shed its stereotypes and adapt to suit today’s needs by being more representative of society,” Comodini Cachia said, adding the best improvement of the law would be when it is no longer needed, at a time when democratic representation is achieved without the need of a corrective mechanism.

“To reach this point we need to take several concrete actions.

“These include undertaking an equality audit of parliament structures and procedures, create structures of support within parliament and political parties, provide gender mainstreaming training and education to all relevant stakeholders and provide opportunities to women and men who are interested in entering politics or public life,” Comodini Cachia said.

Rachelle Deguara, chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika Żgħażagħ, said the new law would make waves for women but monopolise them into mainstream political parties.

“The introduction of the gender parity bill will change things for women who decide to rally on behalf of one of the main parties,” she said.

“If women want to contest as independent candidates or with other third parties, such as ADPD, unless their votes reach the quota they would not be elected, whereas if a woman contests with PN or PL she or they may not reach the quota because the corrective mechanics will start to function.

“The mechanism only functions for those under the PN’s or PL’s ballot. This will increase the amount of women or non-binary people in parliament but not in a meritocratic way.”

Deguara contends that socio-economic background is also a challenge for young women with political aspirations.

“I still strive to participate because independent women’s working-class voices deserve to be heard,” Deguara said.

“More so since the narrative is not influenced by clientelism and the main parties’ agenda that is motivated by who’s funding it.

“There are also challenges of funding and access to potential donors. Many men have business contacts,  compared to women like myself coming from arts backgrounds, or who are primary caregivers... therefore men are more likely to have contacts who are more likely to contribute.

“Remuneration is also an issue for women, it is a part-time job, with full-time hours, but not full-time pay. The low salary of politicians, and the long hours the job entails, is a barrier for me.”