The Malta Women’s Lobby (MWL) has responded to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana’s proposal to introduce a new tax rate for parents with multiple children, acknowledging the potential financial relief it offers but warning that tax incentives alone will not solve Malta’s declining birth rate.

The MWL stressed that raising children is more than just a financial commitment—it requires substantial physical, emotional, and mental energy, particularly from mothers.

While tax rebates may ease financial strain, they fail to address key structural issues such as insufficient parental leave, inflexible work arrangements, and the unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities. A purely economic approach to boosting birth rates overlooks the real struggles that families face daily.

Malta’s limited support systems for working parents further exacerbate the challenge, making it difficult for families to manage additional children. Without proper support structures, parents—especially mothers—are left shouldering disproportionate responsibilities in childcare, education, and elder care.

The MWL urged the government to take a more comprehensive approach, forming a multidisciplinary task force to examine the issue from multiple perspectives, including financial, social, cultural, and gender equality considerations.

The lobby also highlighted the importance of work-life balance and community support in enabling families to thrive. It advocated for policy solutions beyond financial incentives, rooted in the belief that “it takes a village to raise a child.”

Without reforms such as affordable childcare, workplace flexibility, and more equitable caregiving responsibilities, a tax incentive would only benefit those already financially secure, failing to create lasting change.

As an advocate for gender equality, the MWL continues to push for policies that remove barriers for families and ensure that parents—particularly mothers—are fully supported in both work and family life.

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