Speech by the Hon. J. Dalli - 'Creating innovative working arrangements
through the Support of Public Employment Services for a better
work-life reconciliation'.

The Employment and Training Corporation has teamed up with its counterparts in Cyprus,
Iceland, Slovenia and Sweden to study the role of public employment services organisation in the
reconciliation of work and life responsibilities. The research study, which includes
particular case studies in each country, is proposing the way forward in this area.

The research aspect of this report highlights practical ways in which public employment
services, like the ETC, can identify key challenges relating to women retaining their jobs,
as well as practical recommendations in this respect. The findings of this research
are being used by ETC and its European partners to understand and address the needs
and concerns of employers in respect of work-life reconciliation.

Local employment rates for males and females continue to differ quite markedly. According to statistics published by the National Statistics Office for the period January to March 2009, the employment rate of females stood at 36.9%, compared to the 72% rate of males.

However, there is a clear difference between age groups; while the gap between male and female youth is a negligible 2.5%, this rises to 45.8% for the older age groups (25 – 54), underscoring the need for support for work-life balance, to complementthe rise in female educational achievements and legislative changes intended to promote gender equality in Maltese society.

ETC has actively contributed to gender equality for the past years, and has sought to make best use of EU funding in this respect. These efforts have included the development and delivery of an extensive childcare training programme with the aim of increasing the pool of professional childcare workers. A total of eleven courses were funded through this project.

The Corporation also embarked on a national campaign promoting the benefits of quality childcare services in Malta – a campaign which was deemed a success. ETC has also implemented other projects which targeted particular groups of women such as a traineeship scheme for women who were absent from the labour market for a number of years, females who wanted to open their own business and single mothers.

In recent years, ETC has also teamed up with other European countries on a pilot project which challenged gender stereotypes, encouraging men to take up parental leave and to play an active role in the upbringing of their children.

Opening the conference the Hon. John Dalli, Minister for Social Policy stressed the importance of family – work balance. Whilst encouraging more women to enter in the world of work, he stressed the importance of the family in our society which is the most important institution for child raring.

In the coming months, ETC will be launching a promotional campaign spread over two years, funded by the European Social Fund, to promote the benefits of sharing the family's responsibilities between both parents. Again, the ETC will be challenging cultural stereotypes pertaining to male and female roles within the family unit and at work. The campaign will also encourage employers to offer flexible working conditions for their employees, highlighting the benefits that have been found to derive from such measures.

DOI – 30.09.2009