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3 NEWS 9.3.2023 THE rate of women who have a career with the Maltese pub- lic service amounts to 55%, which is the highest rate the public service has ever had. This means an increase of 5% over a decade ago, mean- ing the public servie not only retained but even managed to attract more women to pursue a career as a public officer. Principal Permanent Secre- tary Tony Sultana announced the figure during a conference organised by the Public Ser- vice on the occasion of World Women's Day. "These figures confirm how well the Public Service understands today's needs through flexible sup- port systems. Such systems will be further strengthened in the coming days. "The trends are clear and consistent. It is our duty that as the largest employer in the country we are also an exam- ple for others, a model em- ployer, with flexible and effi- cient work practices for both men and women," Sultana said. Sultana said the principle of equity will remain at the core of every initiative and reform undertaken by the Public Ser- vice, regardless of gender or salary scale, so that this prin- ciple is really put into practice every day, all year round. The conference 'Sustaining a Gender Equal Future' ad- dressed various themes with the participation of public of- ficers, various stakeholders, women in leadership roles, en- trepreneurs in the private sec- tor and permanent secretaries among others. FROM PAGE 1 Michael Attard Services Ltd wats to upgrade a disused fuel station with the relocation of two fuel dispensers each having four nozzles. The 76-square-metre site on Tower Road, Sliema, lies between the Plaza Hotel and the Carlton Hotel, metres away from bars and restaurants. The MHRA said facilities such as fuel sta- tions should be located outside town cores. "MHRA cannot understand such contradicto- ry decisions by the relevant authorities when all today agree that Sliema and other tourism destinations across Malta and Gozo should be embellished to promote a more authentic ex- perience." MHRA said such decisions contributed to- wards the depletion of the image of a destina- tion. "Once lost it will be impossible to bring it back," the association said. "It's about time that a clear message is sent by the relevant authorities that they are work- ing on the same wavelength in recognizing the importance of the holistic experience offered through critical tourism destinations such as that of Sliema seafront. Unfortunately, from what we are seeing it doesn't augur well for the future, however MHRA trusts that in such case logic will ultimately prevail." Women account for 55% of Maltese public service workforce MARIANNA CALLEJA WFDM, a recruitment agency based in Malta, is the first compa- ny in Malta to introduce menstrual leave for all of its female employees. "is new policy is aimed at sup- porting the overall well-being of female employees and acknowledg- ing the unique challenges that come with menstruation," WFDM said. e new policy will provide paid leave for up to twelve days per year for female employees experiencing painful and difficult periods. is leave will not count against their sick or vacation time, allowing female employees to take the time they need to manage their men- strual health without compromis- ing their work obligations. "We recognize that menstruation is a normal and natural part of life, and for some women, it can be a challenging and painful experi- ence," Matthew Mantvydas Naru- sevicius, CEO of WFDM, said. WFDM hopes that by introducing menstrual leave, they will encour- age other companies to follow suit and also show female employees support and care. Menstrual leave was a proposal put up for discussion in the House of Representatives by Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar last month. However, Cutajar's proposal has not yet found a strong footing in her own government, with parlia- mentary secretary for equality Re- becca Buttigieg commenting that she had heard equally valid points opposing the additional leave. Reacting to WFDM's announce- ment, the MP welcomed the de- cision, saying she will continue to strive to ensure the concept is dis- cussed at national level. e Malta Employers Association has previously said such debate should not be treated as a priority in social dialogue discussions and insisted there should be no addi- tional sick leave categories. e General Workers' Union, on the other hand, said it welcomes all discussions. Facilities such as fuel stations should be located outside town - MHRA Recruitment company introduces menstrual leave for its employees

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