Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1350550
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 MARCH 2021 OPINION Men and women: allies against patriarchal barriers ything… but we could, in fact, be staring at the grounds for a possible future acquittal of both Alfred and George Degiorgio, and possibly the other arrested suspects too. But even that prospect pales into insignificance, compared to some of the other possibili- ties. I shall have to be cautious in wording the next sentence: but let's just say that there is al- ready a widespread perception out there, that the police have not exactly 'left no stone un- turned' in their investigation of this particular murder; and – to make matters worse – Muscat's own testimony seems at a glance to only buttress that perception (he claimed former assistant commissioner Silvio Valletta as a possible source of information leaked to the murderers, but Valletta has denied this). From this perspective, the Po- lice Commissioner's assurances – on their own – are hardly go- ing to be enough to allay popu- lar suspicions that this case is in fact very far from being 'solved'. And this will not just damage the reputation of the Malta Po- lice Force – which has, let's face it, already been dragged through the muck in this particular case – but, for reasons already out- lined, it may even impinge on a future successful conviction of the suspects already on trial. All things considered then… maybe the time has come for another police press confer- ence; this time, to explain to us the specific basis for their conclusion that: "every person involved, be it mastermind or accomplice, is under arrest or facing charges"… and, more specifically still, that "no poli- tician was involved in Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder". EARLIER this week, we joined the glob- al community in celebrating International Women's Day — a day celebrating the pro- gress made by women around the world, while looking ahead to the issues and areas requiring further action. For years, we have associated gender equality with women's issues, mainly be- cause women have been the driving force behind gender equality strategies, and of course, because women bear the brunt of most inequalities in our society. Putting the fight for equality squarely on women's shoulders alone, however, can only take us so far. We fight for gender equality not just for women, but because everyone stands to gain from an equal so- ciety – men included. The patriarchal norms keeping women from reaching their full po- tential also hinder and harm men, from the way masculinity is per- ceived to the impossi- ble expectations laid at their feet. These attitudes and behaviours not only harm men themselves, but play a key role in maintaining the status quo, and keeping gen- der inequalities alive. This year's Women's Day celebrations in- vited us to challenge: challenge the notions of masculinity, and traditional percep- tions of manhood. We challenge these social norms, behav- iours and gender ste- reotypes that perpet- uate discrimination and inequality. We challenge the status quo that abandons men when it comes to mental health, and pressures them to adopt machoistic atti- tudes. We challenge expectations that limit girls and boys when it comes to career and family choices, relegating women to undervalued roles in society, and limiting men's choices. Men have a vital role to play in building a world of gender equality – and many al- ready are doing so. By using and sharing their power and privilege, by opening their eyes to the so- cial norms dictating for them what men and boys should do and be, they have the ability to shift these outdated norms and ideas about gender and masculinity, and challenge the patriarchal beliefs, practices, institutions and structures that drive ine- quality between men and women. Women and men should be allies in our struggle towards equal- ity. Instead of simple bystanders, men can use their power and voice to speak up, and intervene whenever they witness sexist be- haviour and attitudes by others. We need men and boys to stand with women against gender-based violence and domestic violence, and all other forms of harassment. Ending violence in our communities is a responsibility of the whole community and it is significant that men and boys are ac- tive participants and promoters of change. The reconciliation of work, private and family life is a key gen- der equality principle, which can be attained when women and men share caring respon- sibilities and duties equally. Our society still ex- periences unequal in- volvement in house- hold chores by women and men. Juggling work and family is already a challenge in itself, but when men and women equally share in the caring for their children and other family members, balancing the two responsibilities becomes easier. The need to change boys' and men's attitudes towards caregiving and other unpaid work and ensuring that men are not stigmatised when they take on care responsibilities is a keystone of gender equality. Join us in challenging, and eradicating, the ideas which to this day keep us all back from achieving fulfilling, fair, lives. Instead of simple bystanders, men can use their power and voice to speak up, and intervene whenever they witness sexist behaviour and attitudes by others. We need men and boys to stand with women against gender-based violence and domestic violence, and all other forms of harassment Michael Camilleri Michael Camilleri is director of the Human Rights Directorate Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa was addressing a press briefing ahead of the arraignment of brothers Robert and Adrian Agius and associate Jamie Vella