‘It pays to rewind and take a closer look at the UN’s gender equality goals’ – CPO Sonya Sammut

Sonya Sammut, Chief Policy Officer at the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food, and Animal Rights, has suggested revisiting the United Nation’s (UN) sustainable development goals on gender equality to determine how well they address women’s needs.

Ms Sammut made this point during the AGM of Women Directors in Malta (WDM) which took place on Wednesday. WDM is a social organisation that exists to promote the participation of women on boards of directors and equivalent governing bodies of public entities and businesses.

The main issue discussed during the AGM was why the UN’s sustainable development goals on gender equality have not yet been reached.

“My views were that before we continue with our search for solutions, it pays to rewind and take a closer look at the goals and the indicators and assess how ‘fit’ these are to our needs,” Ms Sammut wrote on social media.

The UN put in place nine targets for the achievement of global gender equality. Amongst other things, these include “ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere”, “eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres”, and “ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities at all levels of decision making.”

Before establishing empowerment goals for access to equal opportunities, Ms Sammut suggested “turn[ing] towards the unifying model of competence, while remaining aware of the biological realities of sex differences.”

“Some of us can support others in the process. Others can exert influence and inspire others with their actions. The few are the leaders and the changemakers who change the rules of the game for themselves and for others,” she continued.

Discussing a way forward, Ms Sammut suggested having “an honest conversation” about “the real problems” that need to be solved.