Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/195525
22 Opinion maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2013 Helga Ellul Investing in women – smart economics and more T he importance of investing in women cannot be overstated if we want economic growth. With the prospect of a shrinking working-age population, increasing labour-force participation and raising the employment rate of women need to become primary objectives. Although there have been advances in attracting women to the workplace, it is an undeniable fact that there is still a wealth of untapped potential. Countries that have achieved the highest levels of female participation have profited not just in terms of greater social justice and stability, but also in terms of their economic growth and competitiveness. We therefore need to begin by acknowledging the fact that progress for women is progress for all. So what is the situation in Malta? Even though slight increases have been recently registered in women's participation in the labour market, in Malta we are quite below the European average, with an inactivity rate for women standing at 53.8% for women, compared to 16.6% for men. Investing in women has been referred to by the World Bank as "smart economics". Research shows that economic growth for women has an important multiplier effect and that women are more likely to share their economic gains with their families and communities at large. This much is nowadays obvious to political and corporate leaders all over Europe. So why do women continue to find it difficult to realise their full potential in our economies? Parenthood is one of the main factors underlying the gender employment gap. EU figures show that the employment rate for women who have children is much lower than for women without children in most member states, including Malta, while it is the opposite for men. Parenthood has an asymmetrical effect on men and women's employment, given that women are more often involved in childcare duties when care services are lacking or not meeting the needs of full-time working parents, as is the case in many member states. But why should parenthood continue to be an obstacle for women wanting to join the workforce in today's world? While it is true that initiatives have been taken locally to secure a better work-life balance, such as the introduction of policies which widely promote family-friendly measures, including the provision of free and affordable childcare, there is still much more to be done in this regard. Not only do we need to increase such facilities across the board, but we also need to provide them in the summertime and on a round-the-clock basis to assist shift workers. Essentially, however, the problem we face is one of mentality. It is still largely part of the fabric of Maltese culture that the roles of men and women are stereotyped, with the man being the breadwinner and the woman taking care of the Stereotypical roles are reflected in earnings: women with low or medium levels of education tend to earn around 15% less than men. In absolute terms, the difference equates to around €2,000 family and home. This is reflected in earnings: women with low or medium levels of education tend to earn around 15% less than men. In absolute terms, the difference equates to around €2,000. In the case of people with a higher level of education, the percentage difference between men and women is above 20% – equivalent to around €5,000. Moreover, patterns of growth in income for men – across varying educational levels – show that they enjoy an upward growth throughout their working lives. The trend in gross annual salaries for women appears much more stagnant. This applies to women throughout all levels of education. Undoubtedly, the traditional family model has held back highly skilled females from embracing a career plus a family. For change to happen, we need to promote a change in mindset. This can already be seen in the younger generation – where many view a family as a partnership where both partners can grow career-wise, where finances are settled together and parental duties are shared by both. We need to encourage our young men and women to enter into new family responsibilities as equal partners. We need to encourage them to achieve the right family balance together, and instil in them the idea that there is no such thing as the husband's or wife's sole responsibility. Building a family, bringing children to the world and raising them to high standards are the joint responsibility of both parents. It does not mean that the father carries on with his working life irrespective of developments, while the mother carries the lion's share We need to encourage young men and women to achieve the right family balance together, and instil in them the idea that there is no such thing as the husband's or wife's sole responsibility of family duties and responsibilities. We need to support further our young couples by ensuring that the necessary facilities and appropriate structures, such as childcare facilities and caring for older family members, are well in place. We need to convince employers that flexibility and providing innovative work arrangements can be beneficial to the business as well as the employee. Best practice examples in corporate social responsibility across Europe and in Malta show how entrepreneurs have already seen the benefits arising from new work patterns such as 'teleworking', job sharing and generally more flexible working conditions. We absolutely need to retain women in today's workforce and to do that we need to have a level playing field. At the base of this is the concept of an equal partnership between husband and wife. Sharing – for better and for worse – is, after all, at the core of what marriage stands for. However, for all this to work, for women to be able to take up and maintain a career, we have to be creative and, most of all, invest in the structures that will enable women with family responsibilities to participate. If we manage to embrace this notion and take active measures to succeed, our country will be much more productive overall and technically more competent. Ultimately, we will be all better off. Helga Ellul is a Nationalist MEP candidate and the former CEO of Playmobil Malta