ESRC Funded Seminar Series

1
ESRC Funded Seminar Series Public Policy,
Equality and Diversity in the Context of
Devolution Seminar 2 Mainstreaming equality
and diversity in different national contexts
implications for policy and practice
2

• WELCOME INTRODUCTION

3
The experience of a single equalities commission
in Northern Ireland Elizabeth Meehan Queens
University Belfast
4
The Scottish Executive and Equality Esther
Breitenbach University of Edinburgh
5
Commission for Equality and Human Rights
Towards the Commission for Equality and Human
Rights Debbie Gupta CEHR Project Team
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outline

• Why the CEHR?
• What will it do? (and not do?)
• Lessons learned
• Next steps towards establishment

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key facts

• Replaces the existing Commissions
• Commission for Racial Equality (est 1976)
• Disability Rights Commission (est 2000)
• Equal Opportunities Commission (est 1975)
• Provides institutional support for new
  discrimination grounds and human rights
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Operates with existing discrimination law
  framework

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why the CEHR?

• Legislative landscape has changed
• Social and demographic challenges of the future
• Powerful and authoritative
• Resource efficiency

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what the CEHR will do

• Work on a wide basis across equality, diversity,
  human rights and good relations
• Duty to consult stakeholders in preparation of
  strategic plan, and on State of the Nation
  report
• Regional arrangements greater relevance for
  local communities and public services
• New duty to work towards elimination of prejudice
  towards, hatred of, and hostility against
  communities and new powers to monitor hate
  crimes
• Provide guidance across all areas of
  discrimination, perhaps on a sector-specific
  basis eg education, health

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and what the CEHR will not do

• Dilute expertise and experience instead putting
  it all together under one roof
• Treat all issues in the same way equality is
  about recognising and accommodating different
  needs and circumstances
• Support every discrimination case will need to
  use limited resources to achieve strategic
  outcomes
• Undertake litigation on human rights cases
  except in a few limited circumstances

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lessons learned

• the journey is as important as the destination
• change is always difficult
• honest, open dialogue is critical
• passion, aspiration and vision matter

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next steps towards establishment

• Equality Bill 2005
• Steering Group
• Capacity-building for new discrimination grounds

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An absolute duty the rhetoric and reality of
mainstreaming equality in post devolution
Wales Paul Chaney University of Cardiff
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Content

• Legal institutional context
• political vision
• institutional prerequisites for mainstreaming
  equality
• Evaluation reports
• Public policy selected examples
• Overall Assessment

15
Context Welsh Office

• Male-dominated administration
• Weak national Welsh policy making capacity
• Equality issues ignored / not our
  responsibility
• Wholesale failure to tackle inequality and
  discrimination

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Mainstreaming Devolution, and the Political
Vision (1)

• Development beyond enabling statutory framework
• Need to take equality of opportunity factors
  into account in every policy decision
• a definite dynamic
• individual responsibility

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Mainstreaming Devolution, and the Political
Vision (2)

• a democratic, participative approach
• clear priorities and targets for action
• This mainstreaming approach is fundamental

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Challenging Context

• Equalities more pronounced
• Deficiencies in Welsh devo settlement
• High expectations of new politics
• Discontinuities in Ministerial leadership
• Huge pressures on Welsh civil Service

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Institutional Prerequisites

• Appropriate institutional arrangements
• Awareness raising
• Training
• Expertise
• Appropriate staffing
• Reporting mechanisms
• Incentives to build ownership,
• Securing adequate resources

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(No Transcript)
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Evaluation (2002).

• Subject committees failing to mainstream equality
  into policy-making
• Policy consultations under-resourced
• Majority of policies declaratory approach to
  equalities
• Policies lacked equality targets
• Ownership lacking
• Financial and human resource implications ignored

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Little strategic direction

• currently the Assembly does not have an overall
  equality strategy, and in our view there is no
  doubt that this is hampering the Assembly's
  efforts in relation to mainstreaming equality
  (NAW, 200431-2).

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Evaluation (2004).

• Officials Inadequate equality training
• Inadequate Official Statistics
• Failing/ inadequate EPU
• Inadequate equalities advice to public sector
• Absence of equality impact assessments
• Inadequate monitoring of equalities policies

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e.g.s of Equality Policy and Law

• Consultative policy networks
• Public Procurement
• Public Appointments
• Education Policy
• Equality and the Regulatory Infrastructure of the
  State
• Equality in Welsh Law

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(No Transcript)
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UN International Assessment, March 2005

• uneven in their effectiveness
• often marginalized in national government
  structures
• frequently hampered by unclear mandates,
• lack of adequate staff, training, data and
  sufficient resources,
• lacking support from national political
  leadership
• (UN Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender
  Equality, IANWGE, 200561).

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Rhetoric or Reality? (1)

• Presently, more rhetoric than reality
• Failed against Welsh execs self-stated aims -as
  well as int. understood principles of
  mainstreaming
• Positive developments institutional
  prerequisites
• Positive developments selected e.g.s of policy
  and law

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Rhetoric or Reality? (2)

• Thus far, faltering and uneven approach to
  mainstreaming
• Current implementation of Mainstreaming Review
  recommendations a crucial test (déjà vu )
• Absolute Duty?

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NAW definition of equality

• treating people equally in status, rights and
  opportunities through a set of policies and
  actions, with the aim of securing equality of
  outcome for all (NAW, 20047).

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NAW definition of Mainstreaming

• the integration of respect for diversity and
  equality of opportunity principles, strategies
  and practices into the every day work of
  government and other public bodies. It means
  that equality issues should be included from the
  outset as an integral part of the policy-making
  and service delivery process and the achievement
  of equality should inform all aspects of the work
  of every individual within an organisation. The
  success of mainstreaming should be measured by
  evaluating whether inequalities have been
  reduced (NAW, 20046).

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Equality, diversity and the politics of scale
the Canadian public policy experience Janet
Siltanen Carleton University, Ottawa
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• Gender-based analysis and diversity
• in Canadian public policy
• the significance of diversity in federal
  commitments to gender-based analysis
• action to integrate gender-based analysis and
  diversity
• implementation successes, challenges and
  possibilities

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Setting the Stage for the Next Century The
Federal Plan for Gender Equality, 1995-2000

• A gender-based approach ensures that the
  development, analysis and implementation of
  legislation and policies are undertaken with an
  appreciation of gender differences.
• It also acknowledges that some women may be
  disadvantaged even further because of their race,
  colour, sexual orientation, socio-economic
  position, region, ability level or age. A
  gender-based analysis respects and appreciates
  diversity.

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• Putting intersectional analysis into practice
• intersectional analysis as a theory of inequality
  in Canada
• intersectional analysis in practice
• - intracategorical analysis
• - intercategorical analysis

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• Rescaling and the policy process
• the politics of scale in the analysis of
  policy-making in Canada
• rescaling and gender and diversity
  policy-making in provinces, regions and cities
• consistency versus context in sub-national policy
  implementation mechanisms

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Charter of Rights and Freedoms

•  15. (1) Every individual is equal before and
  under the law and has the right to the equal
  protection and equal benefit of the law without
  discrimination and, in particular, without
  discrimination based on race, national or ethnic
  origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or
  physical disability.
• According to rulings made by the Supreme Court of
  Canada, section 15 (1) of the Charter provides
  not only formal equality, but also substantive
  equality.

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The Nordic Approach to the Promotion of
Equality Tuula Gordon University of Helsinki
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Equal opportunities in Malta a southern
European perspective Mary Darmanin University
of Malta
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Introduction

• 1987 following European Convention of Human
  Rights
• 1991 Convention on the Elimination of
  Discrimination Against Women
• Constitutional amendments prohibiting
  discrimination on ground of sex
• Rights of disabled to work and training
• Since 2003 some protection against discrimination
  on grounds of race
• Roman Catholic religion entrenched in
  Constitution as religion of Malta

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..and

• Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act
  , February 2000
• Act to Promote Equality for Men and Women, Act I
  of 2003
• Domestic Violence Act 2005 (being debated now)
• Subsidiary legislation on tax credit for women
  returnees 2005
• Equal pay for the same work, 1964 Equal Pay Act
  1967 1974 annual increments to female civil
  servants 1976 extended to private sector
  employees
• 13 weeks maternity leave on full pay 1981, one
  further week unpaid since EU accession 2004
• Disabled Persons (Employment ) Act 1969
  register , quota of 2, not enforced
• Females able to join trade unions 1937
• No legislation to protect against discrimination
  on the ground of sexual orientation

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The policy context

• Area of 316 Km sq Malta and Gozo (and 3
  unoccupied islands)
• Population 400,000
• New EU member, May 2004
• 4th highest debt level in EU
• Large deficit
• Decline in industry
• Rise in unemployment
• Average annual salary - female Lm 4462, males Lm
  5354
• Low overall employment rate 54.4

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Labour Force Data 2004

• Female activity rate is 36.7
• Female employment rate 32.9
• Female unemployment rate 10.2
• 54.2 of unemployed females are age 15-24
• 17.7 of all employed females work part-time as
  main occupation
• 2.5 of the females are self-employed
• 2003 Disability Survey 23 (627)of 16-60 are in
  employment. 897 consider themselves unemployed.

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A theoretical aside

• Not one perspective but many
• My materialist interpretation, within account of
  social policy/development of (welfare) state
• History of British colonialism/southern
  Catholicism (sedimented layers of practice)
• State as relational condenses struggles,
  medial institution
• 4 imperatives/responses to
• transnational capital
• global political structures
• domestic pressures and demands
• internal needs and self-interests

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Specificity of Malta and Gozo

• Geographical size (no natural resources)
• Population size doubled in 20th century 1,265
  per sq km non-Maltese element 2.1 , masculinity
  ratio 977
• no critical mass of activists, multi-functional
  roles, intimacy/affectively charged
  relationships, interdependent social networks
• Intensive links with metropolitan imports
• Colonial penetration intensive and durable
  -2000 year history. British period 1802-1964
• Catholic Church a coloniser?
• EU direct (rule?) external influence

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Early discourses and practices

• Complex system of needs based assistance
  (charity?) since the Knights of Malta, 16th
  Century
• Modern welfare since 1920s
• British grouped all service under Comptroller of
  Charitable Institutions 1815
• Discretionary pensions to public servants since
  1820s
• Fortress economy work as male, beginning of male
  breadwinner model (though women in paid
  employment and subsistence economy too)

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Early welfare and internal demands

• Early social assistance and social insurance
• 1927 Widows and Orphans Pensions act
• Workmens Compensation Act 1929(contributory)
• Old Age Pensions Act 1948 (means tested)
• 1940s formation of General Workers Union/MLP
  common Labour Front
• To repeal 1939 Voting Ordinance (male only,
  plural voting) to extend to males and females
  over 18. Passed in 1948.
• Campaign for introduction of income tax and land
  tax
• 1947 restoration of responsible government and
  Labour administration

47
Contradictions of the Welfare State

• 1956 National Assistance Act (to heads of
  household, means tested) and National Insurance
  Act (insurance paid by employer, State, employee)
• 1950s (following ILO) Conditions of Employment
  (Regulations) Bill. Wages Council and Joint
  Negotiating Councils
• 1945-1960 heavy emigration to Australia and
  Canada (over 55,000 persons)

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Discrimination against female employees

• 1948 Cabinet decision to lay off females
  followed by Marriage Bar
• 1956 Balogh Report- waste of talent
• 1974, Act XLV In CERA (1952). MLP government ban
  on females filling vacancy of post previously
  held by a man.
• Repealed by Act XXVII of 8th December 1978- but
  lose seniority
• MPO Circular 18/96 service prior to resignation
  not reckonable for assimilation into civil
  service grades (in vigore to date)

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Hybrid model within economic and political
instability

• Old Age Pensions (Amendment ) Act 1957 blind
  persons over 40 qualify
• 1964 extended to blind over 14
• passive assistance
• Education, economy very underdeveloped
• From integration to independence struggle not
  enough funds to maintain Malta

50

• Aid to Industries (Bill) 1957 labour intensive,
  low skill, low pay industries (females)
• Transfer of Dockyard to private company (90,000)
  dependent on it
• Service sector tourism growth seasonal, small
• Large public sector

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Education

• Compulsory primary education (part-time) 1948
• 1956 full-time primary
• 600 emergency (untrained ) teachers
• Training Colleges (run by Religious Orders)
  opened 1950s
• 1956 pilot scheme for two classes of hearing
  impaired in mainstream schools
• By 1963 Deaf Unit, and Santa Maria ESN Unit and
  Guardian Angel School (all special schools). 1965
  Mater Dei for boys with emotional difficulties
• Primary some mixed but most large schools single
  sex till 1981. Secondary state and Church single
  sex to date.

52
Road to Independence

• Poor financial deal with integration proposal
• Church opposes both Dominion Status and
  Independence proposals
• Splits in both PN and MLP
• GWU strike and MLP riots State of Emergency
• Direct intervention of Archbishop- 1961
  Directive, Lenten Pastoral 1958 Pastoral
  Letter1962, Interdict on MLP Executive
  marriage, burial, mortal sin
• In 1959 Church owned 18 orphanages, 45 schools, 3
  homes for the aged, 360 churches.

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Social Policy in the 1960s

• Employment of Disabled Persons Act 1969
• Tax exemption for families with disabled person
  on special car
• 1970 Special section Sannat School , Gozo for
  persons with severe intellectual disability
• Secondary Education for All 1970
• Non-fee paying University 1968

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MLP social policy 1970s

• ROSLA, 1971 (girls continue in education)
• Worker-student scheme 1982-87, Stipend system
  from PN 1988, to date (?) increase of females in
  HE (now 54 of graduates).
• 1973 Child Allowance (on basis of number in
  family, up to 3)
• 1973 Handicapped Pension scheme
  (non-contributory), extended in 1975 to cover
  severely handicapped persons
• 1976 Minimum Weekly Wage National Standard Order

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And 1980s

• 1981 Maternity Benefit for 13 weeks to pregnant
  females ( not in employment)
• 1981 Maternity Leave 13 weeks full pay for
  employed females ( one further week unpaid since
  EU accession 2004)
• 1986 Social Assistance extended to single or
  widowed females taking care of elderly or
  handicapped person at home. 1992 Carers
  Pension at half minimum wage.

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1987 new PN government

• and shift from needs to some rights, from
  welfare state to welfare society
• more involvement of NGOs/civil society, less of
  State
• Charity again in Public Private partnerships i.e.
  HSBC glocal opportunism
• Co-ordination of social welfare in Ministry of
  Social Policy health, labour, social security,
  welfare, elderly and housing

57
Continuation of needs-based approach

• 1988 Handicapped Child Allowance for those
  already entitled to Childrens Allowance (under
  14 years of age). Since 1996 means-tested.
• 1989 Family Bonus also pegged to Childrens
  Allowance
• 1989 Emergency Assistance for home-driven
  destitute females (victims of domestic violence)
• 1996 Supplementary Allowance for those whose
  total income fell below a certain level.
• 1996 lone parent beneficiaries could also work
  and draw benefit, as long as total income below
  Minimum Wage. (Since 2001 applies also to those
  in rehab).

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Equality Mainstreaming- first phase

• 1987 National Commission of the Handicapped
  (since 1992 National Commission Persons with
  Disability NCPD/knpd)
• 1987 Secretariat then Department Equal Status of
  Women (DESW) government arm in Ministry Social
  Policy and Commission for the Advancement of
  Women
• 1996-98 Department of Womens Rights (DWR),
  Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the
  Prime Minster (MLP)
• 1998-2002 Department of Women in Society (DIS)
  , Ministry of Social Policy
• 2002- to date National Commission for the
  Promotion of Equality (NCPE), Ministry for the
  Family and Social Solidarity
• Employment and Training Corporation- now with
  Gender Equality Action Plan 2003-2004

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Ministerialisation of policy or representative
democracy?

• NCPD Article 21 of Equal Opportunities (Persons
  with Disability) Act .
• 14-19 members, half of which persons with
  disability or parents of person with disability
  (intellectual impairment) and with gender
  equality
• Seven appointed by PM from Ministries for Social
  Policy, Health, and Economic Planning
• Seven appointed by PM from persons who best
  represent voluntary organisations working in
  field
• In 2004 one from Archdiocese, MFSS, MSP, ME
  ,MH, MFES, MG, UoM, 2 LCs
• Plus Executive Board (from among members of NCPD)

60
National Commission for the Promotion of Equality
for Men and Women

• Article 11 of Act Prime Minister on advice of
  the Minister
• Appoints Chair and 6 members of which at least 3
  women
• such persons appearing to him best suited to
  deal with issues of equality for men or women
• Currently 1 from NCW, 1 from AD (male) , 1
  ex-speaker MLP, Archbishops EU specialist
  (priest), 1 tourism industry (male) , 1 other
  female (an MD)
• Plus Executive Director and 5 members of staff
  one legal advisor
• EU Council Directive 2000/43/EC (to counter
  racism) transposed to Maltese law this year,
  the Commission will become a super- National
  Commission for the Promotion of Equality (June
  2005). Affiliated to ENAR
• Claim that legislation has been drafted
• 2004 -ongoing Sexual Harassment Code of Practice
  (help from Australia)

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National Machinery Strategies

• New equality legislation amending existing laws
• Advising other bodies supporting mainstreaming
  in them, i.e. ETC, other ministries, authorities
  etc.
• Education and training
• Information giving and publicity campaigns
• Research and publications
• Decision-making- representing national machinery
  on other boards
• Dealing with complaints
• International obligations
• Others

62
Gender equality legislation

• Amendment to the Civil Code, Act XXI of 1993
  Equal Partners in Marriage- parental rights to
  mothers, property rights, community of acquests,
  retention of name etc.
• 1994 started the work on CERA, to protect against
  discrimination in employment, sexual harassment,
  protection during pregnancy, other measures for
  work/family balance
• 1996 proposed (with others) setting up of Family
  Court (disaster in reality)
• 1996 Social Security Act and Income Tax Act
  submit separate return or be responsible for
  chargeable income
• Legal Notice 61/96 classifies workers who work 20
  hours as full-time with reduced hours
  pro-rata benefits. Employer abuse.

63
..more

• Domestic Violence Bill, June 2005 (test of the
  reasonable man) setting up of Commission
  (research, strategies, awareness, standards for
  practitioners, coordinate national level
  activities). In 2004, help line got 22,438 calls.
  
• 2002 Employment and Industrial Relations Act-
  flexible maternity leave, 3 months unpaid
  parental leave, reduced hours, 10 hours urgent
  leave with pay (to satisfy Acquis Communtaire)
• 2002 Act to Promote Equality for Men and Women-
  anti-discrimination in employment, banking and
  financial institutions, education and advertising
• Complainants can appeal to NCPE

64
Disability Legislation

• 2000 Equal Opportunities (Persons with
  Disability) Act
• Established NCPD and EO Compliance Unit
• Safeguards in employment, education, goods and
  service, accommodation, access and insurance.
• Promote civil rights through ETC Support Unit ,
  Employment Training Placement Scheme Business
  Promotions Act

65
Education and training NCPD

• 1993 NCPD publish report on inclusive education
  policy
• 2000, facilitator system, 600 SEN children in
  mainstream (but included?)
• Participated in NMC process 2000
• and Ministerial Committee on Inclusive Education
  2000
• Another Review Committee meeting 2003-2005
• Chair of NCPD on University Senate
• Courses on Disability Issues at University
  (pressure to give up to non-disabled experts)
• Examinations
• Statementing Moderating Board Board of Appeals
  , 2003
• Report on education post 16 of persons with
  disability

66
Education and training gender

• Less direct involvement of machinery in education
  policymaking
• Early work on stereotyping in textbooks (1990 B.
  Davis and Commonwealth Secretariat Guidelines),
  guidelines for PSD teachers (used undergraduates)
  
• 1993 Adult Education morning classes in 5 basic
  (school) subjects
• 1994-2004 on-going training for Gender Focal
  Points
• 1995 Part-time day Diploma Course Women and
  Development , WPDC at University
• 1998 short courses AZAD for female candidates for
  Local Councils
• Chairperson a member on NMC Gender Working
  Group, late chair of Gender NMC Focus Group

67
Research and Publications

• NCPD NCPE both have documentation /resource
  centres.
• NCPD accessible catalogue, information service
  sheets, documents, theses, copies of unpublished
  material, books, International documents,
  periodicals, cd-roms, videos.. Much of it
  available on-line, including talks, press
  releases, sections from Parliamentary Debates
  etc.
• Open 9-noon daily .Free photocopying service. ICT
  major instrument.
• Research published available in Maltese and
  English versions, no charge
• Disability Survey 2003
• Annual Reports EO Compliance Unit Annual
  Reports
• PEKTUR programme- self-advocacy research
• Quarterly Maltese language magazine Indaqs
  (Equal)
• 2003- Economic Dimensions of Independent
  Supported Living for People with Disability

68
Research and Publications

• NCPE ( and previous DESW, DWR, DWIS) library
  documentation centre, 5341titles, Dewey
  catalogue, on-line
• 1992 Women Working in Factories
• 1992 Women in Industrial Estates
• 1992 Information brochure on Family Law
• 1994 Women in the Media
• Directory of Maltese Women
• 1995 National Report on Maltese Women (for
  Beijing)
• 1996 Gender Trends a Statistical Profile
• 1998 edited Gender Issues and Statistics
• 1998 Statistics from 1995 Census Women and Men in
  the Maltese Islands
• 2000 Values of Women and Men
• 2001 a Day in her Life Social and Economic
  Contribution of Maltese Women (qualitative
  research on domestic labour)
• 2003 The Impact of Parental Leave, Career Break
  and Responsibility Leave in the Maltese Public
  Sector
• 2005 ESF research on family/work balance,
  telework, graduate tracer study, gender pay gap

69
NCPE taking equality further (2004)

• International Conferences and Meetings 18
• EU and UN Projects 1) ESF EQUAL 2) ESF Gender
  Mainstreaming 3)Gender Gap in Science and
  Technology
• Press Releases 6, tv participation 2 weekly
  programme anchored by ES July-Sept
• Local meetings PSC, head of EU delegation 4
  with OPM , PPCD and others on the ESF Funds on
  NAP (2004/2005) political parties re Local
  Council elections all candidates for MEP EU
  Parliament NCW Ombudsman Unions works
  Division on Child Care Centre Media
  ConsultaNSO FHRD Contracts Dept Broadcasting
  Authority MFSA Family Lawyers on Civil Code
  amendment others regarding the Complaints
  received
• Telephone contacts with public 15,154
• Complaints dealing with 52

70
NCPE work in EU Context

• Drafted and revised a number of Memoranda and
  Instruction Notes defining Maltas position
• Article 13 Principle of Equal Treatment between
  Women and Men in the Access to and supply of
  Goods and Services
• Directive on the Implementation of Principle of
  Equal Opportunities and Equal Treatment of Men
  and Women in Maters of Employment and Occupation
• Amending Council Decision 2001/51/EC and Decision
  no. 848/2004/EC establishing Community Action
  Programme
• Review of the Implementation by the Member States
  and the EU institutions of the Beijing Plat form
  for Action

71
NCPD taking equality further (2004)

• Complaints of Discrimination closed 218 cases (
  81 new ones in 2004)
• Reasonable Accommodation Board 53 requests for
  exemption
• Special identity card (842 new applications, 6795
  with card) to get number of benefits.
• Special apparatus fund ( Lm65,000 and 240
  beneficiaries)
• Service for those with challenging behaviour
  (Canadian expert)
• Foundation for Transport for Independent Living
  since 1994, now gave grant of LM12,000 seconded
  person to run it full-time, van damaged in 2003
  floods
• Collaboration with Foundation for IT
  Accessibility assists persons with disability
  to get computer for free, courses with MCAST
  for persons with intellectual disability and
  hearing impaired
• Other courses for employees at NCPD Data
  Protection Communication with Clients

72
NCPD

• On Boards Senate, MCESD, Family Commission, Etc,
  ESF, Respite Care Services
• Agreements with HSBC and BOV on service provision
  employment policies, and to make electronic
  banking accessible
• Tax rebate of Lm4000 for parents paying for
  facilitator in independent school
• Access to parish churches some agreements
  reached
• Recommendations to other Depts vetting
  applications with MEPA (436 new ones), exemption
  on customs duty MoF, ( 130 new) exemption of
  road licences Testing and Licensing directorate
  (98 new) , Blue Sticker C of Police (472 new ) ,
  work permits for personal assistants Dept of
  Citizenship, reserved parking Transport Authority
  (91)
• Relay Service for Textelephone (for hearing
  impaired)
• Websave Service and SMS/Voicemail-Maltascom
  provides financial assistance (through FITA)
• Work with other organisations (p.27)

73
NCPD International Activities

• Participation In EU High Level Group on
  Disability
• European Disability Forum- President and retiring
  and new Directors visited Malta
• United Nations Convention after once in New
  York, financial problems /others will attended
  only meetings in Europe.
• EU Community Action Programme to Combat
  Discrimination two applications. 1) 100, 000
  euros with Jesuits to run Awareness campaign
  Diversity Strengthens, 2) Self- advocacy
  seminars for persons with intellectual disability
  Persons with a Disability Parliament
• National Disability Information Day (40,000 euro)
• EU Conferences and meetings 6 (most attended by
  participant with disability)
• Support to others to benefit from EU funds
  1)Leonardo- funds for assistant to accompany
  applicant2) five workers of SAPPORT agency sent
  study visit to Sweden 3) ETC official to EDF
  meeting Greece on Employment and Quota system

74
Employment and Training Corporation Gender
Equality Action Plan 2003-2004

• Recruitment of Senior Executive (Gender Issues)
• Gender Impact Assessment Guidelines
• Gender Monitoring labour market
• Target Setting
• Cooperation-national machinery NGOs

75
Promoting Equal Access to Employment

• Support for Guidance Teachers
• Guidance and Counselling for Women Returners
• Womens Empowerment Programme
• Promoting Vocational Option for Young Women
• Conducting a Gender Audit-for HR managers
• Childcare Campaign
• Telework- to conduct a study

76
Facilitating Retention of Employment

• Childminding Service
• Work-life balance
• Temping Opportunities
• Managing Parental Leave- provide cover
• Gender Issues for Trade Unions
• Media Spots and information campaign
• Atypical Work- proposed study
• Women in Science and Technology

77
Enabling Progression at Work

• Mentor Training Programme (FHRD)
• Pay Equity at Work- to train HR managers
• Job Evaluation Tool
• Career Development Skills for Women
• Equal Opportunities Award
• Longitudinal Studies
• Sectoral Studies
• Qualitative Studies (Breaking through the Glass
  Ceiling)

78
ETC and Special Needs

• The Supported Employment Section counselling,
  placement referrals for adequate training
• Bridging the Gap Scheme trainee given period of
  work exposure, no need to sign up for
  unemployment benefit, weekly allowance of Lm35
  instead of SS benefit, employer does not pay NI,
  wages, sick leave.

79
Discussants Liz Sutherland, Equality Challenge
Unit Linda McKie, Glasgow Caledonian University
80
Close Sheila Riddell University of Edinburgh