ADPD renews calls for gender equality and justice

PR08/07/2023

ADPD – The Green Party’s Chairperson Sandra Gauci welcomed the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls (WGDAWG) mission statement on Malta presented yesterday and reinforced the Green Party’s commitment to gender, equality, and justice, when addressing a press conference in front of the NCPE – National Commission for the Promotion of Equality offices this morning.

ADPD Chairperson and EP candidate Sandra Gauci commented, “We welcome the UN Working Group’s mission to Malta and look forward to reading the views and  recommendations on tackling domestic violence and the under representation of women in politics, that will be presented at the Human Rights Council in the future. We hope that this international solidarity towards issues affecting women and girls in Malta will help us to make up some ground for gender equality and justice. The political issues affecting women and girls have remained taboo and stigmatised for too long, and it is always healthy to consider different outlooks on the issues affecting women and girls. How are these issues perceived from outside Malta? These issues include the role of women in society, and the increased violence we face, both online and in person.”

“Over the past six weeks as I have stepped into my new role as ADPD chairperson, many have felt it necessary to point out and emphasise my role as a female leader of a political party. The reception to my election has been mostly welcome, but I can’t help but question in regard to some of the comments and remarks I have received. Are they because I am a chairperson of a political party, or because I am a woman?”

“Unfortunately, I, like other vocal women in Maltese public life, face my share of hate and harassment for using my voice. In response I can say that these comments do nothing to halt my resolve to continue in my political commitments. I can also say that not speaking about them, and considering them taboo, would only give strength to those who want women’s issues to remain hidden and unresolved. Which as we’ve seen five days ago can lead to the President of the Republic signing abortion legislation changes that do not go far enough to protect the woman’s health and are not as bold as the position adopted by ADPD.”

ADPD Deputy Chairperson and EP candidate Mina Jack Tolu, added, “It was an honour to meet the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls while they were in Malta on their country visit. In our meeting I presented the current political barriers which women and gender-diverse people face in entering politics in Malta. In particular how the gender corrective     mechanism was devised simply to top-up the seats for the two parties in Parliament, rather than directly address the lack of equal gender representation in our institutions. Assessing last year’s election results, where only four women were directly elected to Parliament, I presented a clear case against this mechanism which is only leaving women behind. As ADPD we will continue to strive for equality and call on all women and gender-diverse people to join their voices with ours so that we may get there faster.”