The PN follows the MLP

The fallout between my colleagues on the other side of the parliamentary fence came as no surprise. For too long most of the members - women included - of the Nationalist Party, in typical conservative attitude, have rejected the concept of positive action in their party structures. The result over the years has been that women remained heavily underrepresented in the PN structures; at times, not even one woman on their executive council.

John Dalli's comments came as no surprise either. His words were an echo of the Prime Minister's, who, not so long ago, as minister for women, reasoned in the same way. I recall him telling a visiting MEP that he was against quotas and that women should hold decision-making positions because of their capabilities and not because of their gender. To Lawrence Gonzi's statement, the MEP had retorted that even if there is a not-so-brilliant woman in one of the top positions, she would not be enough to balance out the many mediocre men in high posts.

By and large, the PN's attitude towards positive action in order to increase the participation of women at decision-making level has been one of reluctance. What the PN is proposing to do now was implemented by Labour years ago. I am not saying there was no internal opposition to such policies, but the strongest criticism used to come from the women and men within the PN.

It was interesting that at the closing of the PN general council and in the party paper one could observe the Nationalists going to the other end of the positive action spectrum and thus lauding this "new" achievement of theirs. The PN is proud to be increasing the possibility of women working within its ranks, the Prime Minister told us. I do not think that the implementation of this policy is a matter of being proud or not proud. If we are to have a truly representative democracy you just do it like everything else. It's like having a baby. You labour, you labour and then you have it. And then it grows up and it grows away from you. But to be proud of giving birth to a baby? No, every cow can do that.

But anyhow, it is good that my Nationalist parliamentary colleagues have come round to seeing things differently now, as I am sure they have always believed that unless some measures are taken there is no way that women will be represented in positions of decision-making, as it should be, in proportion to the female population. Possibly these posts will be filled by capable women, and if we are expecting that, then maybe we should also be questioning the role of the not-so-capable men holding such positions.

It is about time that the link between democracy and gender equality becomes a principle that is applied in practice at all levels. Moreover, opposing such changes goes against the grain of developments in the international arena. The Electoral Quotas For Women website provides an overview of the use of electoral quotas for women worldwide. Data is presented for over 90 countries, including 74 countries where quotas have been implemented in the Constitution, regulations and laws or where political parties have implemented their own internal quotas.

Countries which decades ago implemented the quota principle rigorously and seriously, such as in Scandinavia in the early 1970s, have reaped very good results. In fact, the IPU 2002 database shows that the parliamentary representation of women in Scandinavian countries at 39 per cent (in Sweden half of the Cabinet ministers are women) by far outstripped that in other countries where percentages ranged between 17 per cent in Europe (including Nordic countries) and five per cent in Arab states.

The quota system is considered to be one of the most efficient mechanisms that provides direct access to women to political power and that plays a critical role in increasing the representation of women.

Only when we decide to adopt the quota policy - for a definite period until we achieve some form of gender balance - on a national level may Malta be in a position to make the best use of its resources in a truly democratic society.

Ms Dalli is Labour shadow minister for public function and women's rights.