Malta Women’s Lobby Slams ‘Unacceptable’ Gender Gap In Top Government Appointments

The Malta Women’s Lobby has raised serious concerns over the low number of women appointed to some of the country’s most senior public sector roles, arguing that the latest appointments expose a significant gender imbalance at the highest levels of government.

In a statement issued today, the organisation pointed out that only three of the 22 Permanent Secretaries appointed by the government are women, meaning women occupy just 13.6% of these top administrative positions.

The group also highlighted an even wider gap among Chief Information Officers within ministries, where just one of 20 positions is currently held by a woman.

Calling the figures “unacceptable”, the Malta Women’s Lobby said the appointments paint a troubling picture of women’s representation in senior decision-making roles despite decades of progress in education and employment.

“Women consistently make up around 60% of tertiary graduates and represent a significant share of the Public Service and Public Sector workforce,” the organisation noted, arguing that the issue is not a lack of qualified candidates but whether women’s abilities are being recognised and rewarded at the highest levels.

The lobby questioned whether current recruitment and appointment structures may be discouraging women from applying for senior roles in the first place, while also calling on authorities responsible for equality and representation to address the disparity.

It warned that the under-representation of women in strategic positions such as Permanent Secretaries and Chief Information Officers sends a damaging message to women working throughout the public administration.

“When women are largely excluded from these positions, the message sent is that even when they are educated, experienced and committed, the top table remains difficult to reach,” the statement said.

The organisation also argued that the imbalance undermines the government’s public commitment to gender equality, insisting that equality must be reflected not only in policy announcements but also in who holds positions of power and influence.

While stressing that it is not advocating for token appointments, the Malta Women’s Lobby said it is calling for fairness, transparency and equal opportunities in recruitment and promotion.

“Equality cannot remain an aspiration. It must be practised in the appointments the Government makes,” the organisation concluded.

What do you make of this condemnation?

READ NEXT: Watch: Manouche Is Celebrating World Cannoli Day With A Sweet One-Day Offer

Gabriel Falzon

Gabriel Falzon is a social media executive at Lovin Malta, with a keen interest in digital media, local businesses, and the natural world. Outside of work, you’ll often find him baking up a storm, diving into video games, or exploring the endless corners of YouTube.