Women’s confederation hits out at Police Commissioner’s comments on ‘challenging women’ officers

Rizzo had stated that women posed a challenge to the administration “when they ask for maternity leave, reduced hours and lighter duties”. The Police Force is currently made up of 1,920 officers, almost one out of every five officer is a woman. “The MCWO would like to point out that these statements denigrate women’s important roles in society both as workers and as mothers. Such declarations discourage women from remaining in the workplace as they are made to feel that they are a burden to the administration and to their colleagues,” chairperson Renee Laiviera said. “These remarks certainly do nothing to motivate women neither do they make them feel of any value at work. This attitude contrasts with the many efforts women make in order to meet family and work responsibilities.” Laiviera said Rizzo’s declarations were not in line with government policy to increase women in the labour market. Malta has the lowest participation rate of women in the labour market (38%) among the 27 EU member states. The inactivity rate of women aged 25-54 in 2009 stood at 22.1% across the EU-27. The lowest inactivity rate of women in this age cohort was recorded in Slovenia at 12.1%. Malta, in line with developments or lack of them in this area of concern, was recorded as having the highest level of inactivity rate of women at 51.1%. “MCWO’s call for a holistic approach that offers support to parents to continue participating in the labour market, is sadly falling on deaf ears. Our society continues to find it difficult to understand that having babies and raising a family and continuing to participate in the labour market is not just about being a mother and a father. It is also very much about women’s contribution to the well-being of the whole community,” Laiviera said. The MCWO chairperson called on the Police Force to apply new and appropriate management skills to bring it into line with the work women officers are doing.