An assessment of Malta's efforts to increase women's participation rates in the labour market since EU membership

Abstract

This dissertation will give an assessment of the Maltese Government's efforts to increase the female paiiicipation rate in the labour market, since Malta is still at the bottom from all the EU Member States. The Maltese women's employment rates will be compared to those of culturally similar MediteITanean EU member states. The aim of this research is to provide quantitative data and assess qualitative policies and measures. The quantitative analysis will be focusing mainly on the differences in employment rates according to the level of education obtained by Maltese women. The analysis will also provide the measures and policies taken by the Maltese Government since EU membership, targeted to encourage more females to enter or re-enter the labour market. Some of these policies are co-funded by the European Social Fund, along with national co-operation. The principal obstacles which Maltese women face when they are taking into consideration whether to join or re-join the labour market will be analysed and an assessment will be given whether such difficulties are being addressed with the current measures and policies that the Maltese Government is adopting. Possible solutions will also be evaluated, for instance more childcare centres spread out all over Malta, so that the children will be close to their parents' workplace. Other measures include, adults supervising children after school hours, if their parents' work times do not match school times exactly. Another policy which might serve as an incentive for women to join the labour market is what is known as the tax holiday, with which women are able to be exempted from paying any taxes if they will join or re-join the labour market after five years of stopping from doing any market output. This measure is not only limited for those females who have stopped for the whole five years, but it is also available pro-rata if they have stopped for a shorter period. Other policies and measures will be assessed, in order to analyse the eff01is that the Maltese Government has done since EU membership in order to increase female participation rate in the labour force.