A few days before COVID-19 took Malta by storm, a popular women’s group on social media reported that it will be complementing its virtual presence with a social club in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Plans to open the club later in the year are particularly timely.

Not only is the group responding to the priorities of women in Malta and Gozo but more urgently, the group affirms the role of civil society during times of social uncertainty and transformation.

Francesca Fenech Conti, founder of the ‘Women for Women’ online group, says that dozens of messages pour in from women struggling with abusive relationships, professional issues, fertility treatments, and how best to keep themselves and their families safe during these trying times.

The holding of space, together, provides an opportunity for communities to share knowledge, create new friendships, and consolidate connections. Such connections are particularly important because indicators show that numbers of women taking a leading role in society are increasing.

While virtual spaces are coming into their own during this period of social distancing, the call for a physical space in the aftermath of the coronavirus is a reminder of why such venues are necessary in the first place. Rebuilding physical spaces for community action, rather than commercial gain, begins the process of reclaiming our public spaces for the common good.

One of the issues consistently highlighted in these difficult times is that individual and communal needs must be balanced. Taking inspiration from Fenech Conti’s “każin tan-nisa” concept is a reminder of how beneficial, and often under-appreciated, our social networks can be.

This fact is highlighted in research from the UN, which has consistently shown that when women are involved in grassroots support and peacebuilding endeavours, they can statistically improve the well-being of an entire community or country. If this “każin tan-nisa” foments that kind of connection, with roots that extend throughout Maltese society, then the beneficiaries of its important efforts will not only be women and girls themselves. Potentially, it will translate into improvements in the lives of every family, community and sector in the islands.

As role models for new ways of providing support and economic empowerment, the lessons learnt by Maltese women are going to be increasingly relevant to everybody involved in the nation’s management and eventual recovery from the coronavirus outbreak.

One cannot ignore that there have been deep-rooted imbalances between genders in decision-making and leadership, with a negative impact on the pursuit of gender equality and equity. However, it is often women who bear the brunt of some of the most difficult decisions that need to be taken within their families and social networks.

For this reason, every citizen in Malta and Gozo has a part to play, to achieve the goal of gender equity and justice as part of a larger mission towards establishing the common good. Investment in the abilities of women, to connect with one another, to share their professional and personal expertise, will support Malta’s social development.

By celebrating the bravery of women working with men, united in pursuit of the common good, this “każin tan-nisa” could be a home for urgent discussions about the kind of future that we want to see in Malta. Not only for the benefit of women but for all the people who call these islands their home.