Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1464183
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 APRIL 2022 NEWS 16 LUKE VELLA THE Malta Women's Lobby has voiced its concerns over what it called a "manipulation" of the gender corrective mechanism, saying it was a slap in the face to those who had fair representa- tion at heart "The MWL is pleased to note that, in spite of pressure on some women candidates not to contest the by-election, wom- en have still participated fully in this process. The attempt to manipulate the system is a slap in the face to those who have fair representation at heart," the lobby said in a statement on Saturday. This week PN candidate Janice Chetcuti said she was choosing the gender mecha- nism route to get into parlia- ment, rather than casual elec- tion to give other 3rd District candidates a chance. Malta's parliament will grow by an additional 12 seats at the end of the electoral pro- cess when the gender correc- tive mechanism kicks in. The mechanism intended to boost the number of women MPs, is being used for the first time af- ter this year's casual elections are concluded. The mechanism will give six extra seats to women from each party, since the share of women MPs is less than 40%. "Having another candidate represent a particular constit- uency is nothing but a veiled excuse, and it is evident party matters are being prioritised over democratic representa- tion," the lobby argued. It said that one does not need to be a member of parliament to work for the members of any community, especially if they are already active with- in the structure of a political party. "Additionally, by fore- going the opportunity to con- test a by-election, to then make use of the gender mechanism, means that other women that are in line to benefit from this same mechanism, would be ex- cluded from the process alto- gether." It said that those women who opted to not contest the casual elections were denying an op- portunity to the women candi- dates who would have possibly agreed to contest the election, with a strong chance to make it to parliament. "The Malta Women's Lobby reiterates its commitment to- wards seeing that politicians will no longer be allowed to ignore half of the population. The perception of women as second-class citizens needs to stop now. We demand that we are duly represented in all structures of decision making. We will not be silenced." Women's lobby hits out at quotas' manipulation PN candidate Janice Chetcuti will forgo a casual election given her guaranteed co-option to the House on gender quotas