217 years to bridge the global gender gap

Global gender disparities in terms of employment opportunities and salaries are becoming worse and according to recent indicators by the World Economic Forum it will take an estimated 217 years to bridge the gap.

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca expressed this concern when delivering the opening speech at the first Personal Empowerment Day in Malta organised by BPW Europe.

Ms Coleiro Preca said Malta cannot afford to be complacent, especially in the wake of the findings of the European Institute for Gender Equality. According to the institute, Malta is one of the worst performers in terms of gender employment gap in Europe.

In comparison to men, Maltese women work in lower-paid sectors, for longer hours and face a longer wait to be promoted, the President said.

While noting that the female participation rate in Malta is on the rise, Ms Coleiro Preca said that the rate of Maltese women in top management boards in the largest companies was just 3.8 per cent, when compared to the EU average, which stood at 21.7 per cent.

The disparity was also pronounced when it came to decision-making positions, as Maltese women accounted for less than 20 per cent, she said.

Looking ahead, the...