On this day 111 years ago, we had the first International Women’s Day. Looking back, things have changed for the better, however the challenges and struggles remain the same for different women all over the world.

It sadly had to be the pandemic to reinforce the reality of expectations and burdens placed upon women in our country within the household and as caregivers, whilst keeping the expectation of contributing towards the economy at a lesser pay. Women are by far and most often victims of domestic and gender-based violence, which continues unabated. The representation of women both at a political level and in public life continues to be lacking.

The history of women, is a history of struggle.

Up to 1981, women in Malta working in the public sector had to stop working once they got married. Today they are expected to work, yet also expected to carry the brunt of caregiving and free household work. Up to 1993, husbands had full control over their wives, including their earnings. Today, women are at ‘liberty’ to work, although likely at a lesser pay than their male counterparts.

Up to 2005, women in Malta could not say no to sex with their husbands. Today, rape and sexual abuse remain under reported. Women’s trust and dignity remain violated with impunity in the online world, where private and intimate videos are stolen and shared for the cheap laughs of men, even in public.

This is recent history, but when it comes to women’s bodies and sexual and reproductive rights, women in Malta are still ruled and governed by a law written by men over a century and half ago. The mentality and perception continue to be one where women are valued only through a prism of motherhood.

No legislation will bring about the change towards true equality, without commitment to challenging and changing the patriarchal and misogynistic culture that existed 111 years ago and still persists till today.

This year has been like no other but Moviment Graffitti, Women’s Rights Foundation and Doctors for Choice, as organisations that have women’s rights at heart will continue to be by each other’s side for all women in Malta and all women everywhere, until all women are free and equal.

For this reason, today we will be streaming the film ‘Burning Bikinis’. The project by aditus foundation explores the history of feminism in Malta and invites the public to reflect on women’s role in the community.

__________________________________________________________

Jum il-Mara 2021 – L-affarijiet inbidlu imma ħafna ġlidiet baqgħu l-istess

F’din il-ġurnata, 111-il sena ilu, ġie organizzat l-ewwel Jum Internazzjonali tal-Mara. Meta nħarsu lura, ħafna affarijiet inbidlu għall-aħjar, għalkemm ħafna sfidi u diffikultajiet baqgħu l-istess għan-nisa madwar id-dinja kollha. 

Il-pandemija kkonfermat ir-realta’ tal-piżijiet li jerfgħu n-nisa f’pajjiżna fil-familji tagħhom, waqt li huma mistennija li jkomplu jikkontribwixxu lejn l-ekonomija b’rati ta’ paga inqas. F’każijiet ta’ vjolenza domestika u dik abbażi tal-ġeneru, il-maġġoranza tal-vittmi huma n-nisa, u din it-tip ta’ vjolenza għadha għaddejja bla waqfien. Ir-rappreżentanza tan-nisa fix-xena politika, kif ukoll fil-ħajja pubblika, għadha skarsa.

L-istorja tan-nisa hi storja ta’ ġlidiet u sfidi.

Riċentement, sas-sena 1981, in-nisa f’Malta li kienu jaħdmu fis-settur pubbliku kienu mistennija li jieqfu jaħdmu ladarba jiżżewġu. Illum il-ġurnata, il-mara mistennija li tibqa’ taħdem, pero’ mistennija wkoll li ġġorr il-piż tat-trobbija tat-tfal u x-xogħol tad-dar mingħajr ħlas. Sas-sena 1993, l-irġiel kellhom kontroll assolut fuq in-nisa tagħhom, inkluż l-assi tagħhom. Għalkemm illum il-mara hi “libera” li taħdem, x’aktarx li qed taqla’ inqas mill-irġiel fl-istess impjieg bħalha.

Sa sittax-il sena ilu – sal-2005, in-nisa f’Malta ma setgħux jirrifjutaw li jkollhom x’jaqsmu mar-raġel tagħhom. Illum, l-istupru u l-abbuż sesswali għadhom jiġu rrappurtati b’rati ħafna iktar baxxi milli qed jiġri fir-realta’. Id-dinjita’ tan-nisa għadha qed tiġi njorata b’impunita’ fid-dinja virtwali. Filmati privati u intimi qed jiġu misruqa u maqsuma ma’ rġiel oħra bħala “ċajta”; anki f’postijiet pubbliċi.

Dan kollu qed jiġri fi żminijiet riċenti. F’Malta, id-drittijiet tan-nisa fuq ġisimhom għadhom qed jiġu kkontrollati u regolati minn liġi li nkitbet minn irġiel seklu u nofs ilu. Il-mentalita’ u l-perċezzjoni għadha waħda fejn in-nisa huma mgħotija valur biss skont jekk humiex ommijiet jew le.

L-ebda leġislazzjoni mhi se ġġib bidla lejn ugwaljanza ta’ veru mingħajr l-impenn sħiħ biex tiġi sfidata l-kultura patrijarkali u misoġinista li kienet teżisti 111-il sena ilu u li għadha tippersisti sal-lum.

Din is-sena, Il-Moviment Graffitti, il-Women’s Rights Foundation u Doctors for Choice, bħala organizzazzjonijiet li niġġieldu għad-drittijiet tal-mara, se nibqgħu nkunu hawn għan-nisa f’Malta u kullimkien, sakemm in-nisa kollha jkunu ħielsa u ugwali għall-irġiel.

Għall-din ir-raġuni, illum se nkunu qed nuru l-film ‘Burning Bikinis’. Dan il-proġett ta’ aditus foundation jesplora l-istorja tal-femminiżmu f’Malta u jistieden il-pubbliku biex jirrifletti fuq ir-rwol tan-nisa fil-komunita’.