Country context

The Labour Force Survey published in January 2011 indicates that the number of employed persons in Malta as at September 2010 was estimated at 349,648 of which 172,889 were male and 176,759 were female.

Various organisations in Malta, both governmental and non-governmental, actively seek to combat discrimination on various grounds and react positively towards the principle of equal treatment.  Besides the measures taken to implement the Directives, government has sought and still seeks dialogue and consultation with persons and entities working to combat discrimination.  Similarly the government agencies set up to combat discrimination, namely the National Commission for Persons with Disability and the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women work closely with the Ministries concerned.

Special Programmes to assist particular groups of persons have also been drawn up.  One such programme is provided for in The Persons with a Disability (Employment) Act, 1969, which provides for the compulsory engagement, on a quota basis, of disabled persons registering for employment.  Also, the Employment Services Division at the Employment and Training Corporation has a section known as the “Over 40s Section” which was set up in 2001 with the aim of helping persons aged over 40 to find employment as soon as possible.  To this end, various schemes have been created, providing financial assistance to employers and employees and training and work exposure to the unemployed.