Malta is making steady progress in updating systems built for a different time, as work continues on the national gender equality strategy launched in 2022.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Gender Mainstreaming Unit, Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms Rebecca Buttigieg said most measures in the strategy have already been implemented, marking a clear shift from planning to delivery.

A key part of this work is recognising how much society has changed. Years ago, it was common for women to stay at home or leave work after marriage. That shaped systems that are still affecting lives today.

Today, women are active in the workforce and contribute fully to the economy and family life, yet many still carry the long term impact of structures that were not designed for this reality.

This is especially clear in pensions. Many women face lower retirement incomes not because they contributed less, but because the system did not reflect the roles they were expected to take on.

Recent Budget measures are starting to address this, including stronger widows’ pensions and support for women with fewer years of social security contributions, helping to close long standing gaps.

Malta has made progress in gender equality, including at European level, but the focus now is on closing remaining gaps. Equality, Buttigieg said, is about fairness and dignity for everyone.

Further reforms are already in the pipeline, including a new legal framework to strengthen Malta’s ability to tackle discrimination.

The implementation of the national strategy, known as GEMSAP, is being coordinated through an interministerial committee, ensuring a joined up approach across government. The aim is simple: a system that reflects how people live today, not how they lived in the past.