Mothers are currently entitled to 14 weeks’ maternity leave in Malta, the minimum required by the EU, but the EU is currently is proposing to extend this period to 18 weeks.

The NCW noted that this was still 6 weeks short of the 24-week period recommended by the World Health Organisation, the European Women’s Lobby, and UNICEF among others, but welcomed the measure as one that would encourage mothers to have “more and healthier children”. This would, in turn, address the negative impact of an aging population, thus helping ensure the sustainability of the pension system.

“Rather than penalising women for their biological condition we would be, in practice, expressing our gratitude to mothers for giving birth, nurturing our babies and ensuring their physical and emotional well being,” the NCW said.

It said that although it understood the impact of the recession on businesses, women should not be made to bear the brunt, particularly since the participation rate of Maltese women in employment is, at 38 per cent, the lowest in the EU.

“Social considerations should be given priority over short-term gains, as after all business are run by men and women who at the end of a day’s work go back to their families and therefore they and their sons and daughters too will suffer the negative consequences,” the organisation said.

It added that, together with trade unions, it has sought adequate solutions, including the gradual introduction of an extra week per year. It also said that businesses should be urging government to speed up a legal framework for temping agencies.

“NCW is fully confident that government’s commitment to the family at the centre of all national policies will once again be reflected in its final position and give its support in favour of this extension at the Council meeting to be held in a few days’ time on 30 November. This proposed directive will be once again debated in the EU Parliament before the end of this year and therefore NCW urges all Maltese MEPs to ensure that their respective political groups will vote in favour of this proposal,” the NCW concluded.

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