Section 4 Government Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights Several human rights organizations and persons interested in promoting and protecting human rights operate freely. The Government, strongly committed to human rights, places no restrictions on investigations by international human rights groups. All Maltese citizens have a legal right of access to housing, employment, and education on a nondiscriminatory basis. However, tradition and local culture have often separated women's rights from the overall concern for human rights, and enforcement of equal rights laws has been passive. Due to economic necessity and changing social patterns, women constitute a growing portion of the work force.
Women generally earn less than their male counterparts.
In August Parliament passed legislation granting women equality in matters of family law. Similarly, a 1991 constitutional amendment which became effective in July 1993, commits the Government to promote equal economic, social, cultural, civic, and political rights for all persons regardless of sex and to undertake appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination between the sexes. Remnants of discriminatory language within existing laws are undergoing revision. Victims of sexual discrimination have redress before the criminal courts. However, as no sexual discrimination cases have been argued before the courts, the actual limits of police or court support for such cases has not been tested.