Women’s Day is celebrated globally. It is a day when the achievements of women are celebrated. Different women are on different rungs on the ladder of success but the fact that this day is celebrated is a testament to the fact that the rungs are being climbed – sometimes at a painstakingly slow pace. That is why, this year, the main theme focuses on how to accelerate progress for women, on how to invest in women so that real and lasting progress can be registered.

We reap what we have sown. Support for women’s organisations and businesses does not start when the organisations have been formed and when the businesses are up and running. I am going to use the metaphor of a seed when referring to the support and the paradigm shift that is needed at different stages:

1. Plant the seed

For centuries, women were excluded from leadership roles; women had to fight to be granted basic rights. Women had to fight for their voting rights. Men could vote in 1921 but women had to wait till 1947 to be granted that right.

To counteract the repression of women that went on for many decades, a drastic change in the mindset is needed. This should start from before a baby girl is born.

The expectations of the parents, grandparents, the society we live in – they will shape what the little baby girl will internalise and consciously or subconsciously determine what she will achieve in her life. So, we should be vigilant and see what messages – hidden or overt – are being communicated in nurseries, childcare facilities, kindergarten schools, in compulsory schooling.

2. Germinate

As children grow older, they need to be exposed to an equal-opportunities world. Boys and girls need experiences and examples around them, to show them that gender does not define or limit what they can do in life. This is why initiatives such as the gender quota in parliament are needed. We need to kick-start this process.

If we had to wait for the natural process of equality to take its course, we might have to wait for many more decades. But if our children are living in a society where women MPs are leading our country forward, they will treat it as the norm.

Schools have an invaluable role to play in challenging gender stereotypes and biases. Children from certain backgrounds are disadvantaged because, in their families, women are treated as inferior beings – hence, the importance of schools to show that there is an alternative, and women and men can have equal rights and opportunities in Malta.

The influx of foreign families in Malta has brought with it cultures where men dominate women and where women assume a submissive role. This is another challenge we have to face – we are a European country, and, while respecting diversity in culture and beliefs, we will never accept discrimination against women.

Every little girl in Malta is entitled to the same dreams and aspirations as the next little boy. She can become a pilot, a CEO of a large company, an electrician, a brain surgeon, an AI specialist, an engineer, a chef, a farmer, a prime minister.

The time has come to consider gender quotas in the private and public sector- Graziella Attard Previ

Every little boy in Malta needs to grow up understanding that when he becomes an adult, apart from his responsibilities as a worker, he will also be responsible for domestic chores, he will also have parental responsibilities and his career is not more important than his partner’s career.

3. Grow

At central governmental level, there should be support for women organisations and businesses. There should be start-up schemes to encourage women to start new initiatives and to help them grow. Apart from financial support, women – being the main caregivers in the majority of families – need family-friendly policies. They need flexible work arrangements and supportive work environments.

Presently, women are under-represented in leadership positions. According to Eurostat (2020), only 28 per cent of management positions are occupied by women. The EU average is 34 per cent.

According to the Grant Thorton report Women in Business 2012, only 26 per cent of CEOs in Malta are women.

The time has come to consider gender quotas in the private and public sector to ensure that there is a fairer balance between men and women in leadership roles.

There are concrete ways how to support women’s business – the government could start by putting its money where its mouth is.

Here are a few initiatives that could make a huge difference to women’s businesses: offering tax incentives; offering State subsidies when applying for loans; offering land/premises where childcare centres can be developed; offering financial support for women who choose to have a helper at home to be able to maintain a better work-life balance (similar to the home-carer scheme offered to the elderly).

4. Flourish and reproduce

Leadership training programmes tailored for women could be organised, offering networking opportunities and providing living examples of how women can be leaders in society. Successful women can be ambassadors for women in leadership positions. They help create role models and they can also mentor other women who are in their early career stages.

Women should be given opportunities where they can self-promote their achievements. This can encourage girls and other women to emulate the examples of success that are being promoted.

Investing in women’s organisations and businesses will lead to a fairer society, where men and women have more choices and where families can flourish without sacrificing the dreams and talents of any family member. It also means a society where the skills and aptitudes of women can be channelled for a better tomorrow for all of us.

Graziella Attard Previ is the Nationalist Party’s spokesperson for equality and children’s rights.