Annual General Meeting & Annual Report 2007

Posted on February 7, 2008 by mcwo

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part One- AGM REPORT

1.INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………….5

2. CHAIRPERSON’S ADDRESS………………………..………………….……..6

3. FINANCIAL REPORT…………………………………………………………………………10

4. SECRETARY REPORT………………………………….……………….……11

4.1 Diary of events……………………………………….….…………………………11

Part Two- STRATEGY 2008-2010………………………………………..18

5. MCWO STRATEGY 2008-2010……………………………………..……….19

5.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………19

5.2 Vision and mission……………………………………………………………20

5.3 Strategic Priorities Goals and Objectives………………………………….20

5.4 Values…………………………………………………………………………21

5.5 Policy Priorities……………………………………………………………….22

5.6 Implementation and organizational implications………………………..….22

Part Three- DOCUMENTATION

6. LIST OF APPENDICIES

APPENDIX 1- MEMBERS’ CONTACT DETAILS……………………..…23

APPENDIX 2- PRESS RELEASES……………………………………..…….…27

APPENDIX 3- LETTERS TO PRESS AND OTHER ENTITIES………….….34

APPENDIX 4- BUDGET 2008 PROPOSALS BY MCWO……………..……..48

APPENDIX 5- CONSULTATIONS WITH POLITICAL PARTIES AND MCWO PRESENTATIONS MADE IN VARIOUS MEETINGS……………………..….…56

APPENDIX 6- REPORTS………………………………….………………….86

6.1 Travel Reports…………………………………………………………………..…87

6.2 Other Reports……………………………………………………………….…….89

1. INTRODUCTION

This report is divided in three main parts. The first part contains the main proceeding of the Annual General Meeting of the Malta confederation of Women’s organisations held on the 7th February 2008. This part includes the Chairperson Report including a SWOT analysis and the Financial Report. Finally, in this section one can find the General Secretary’s Report including the Dairy of Events of 2007.

The second part of the report contains the strategy and way forward for MCWO for 2008-2010. This part includes an introduction on the confederation and its aims, the vision and mission and the strategic goals and objectives for the next two years.

The third and last part of the report consists of the documentation produced by MCWO in 2007 and includes letters to the press, letters to press and other entities, budget 2008 proposals, consultations with political parties and MCWO presentations made in various meetings, and finally reports, which are divided in travel reports and other reports related to the annual report. 

Christina Borg                                                                                      Anna Borg

February 2008                                                                                   February 2008

2. CHAIRPERSON’S ADDRESS

MS ANNA BORG

The last AGM was held on the 29th November 2006 and was chaired by Dr Romina Bartolo who ably led the Confederation during its first two years of existence. Today it is my pleasure to chair this AGM, which is the 3rd Annual General Meeting of MCWO since it’s set up in late 2004.

Following our AGM last year we had decided to undertake the following initiatives and measures namely:

  • To try to keep a constant presence in the media for continuous exposure,
  • To get involved in as many public discussions as possible and to regularly air our views on topical issues,
  • To work on the Mosaic project in collaboration with NCPE
  • To re affirm the addresses of all members,
  • To start work on a website,
  • To create a promotional package for MCWO
  • To initiate a fundraising plan,
  • To create a calendar of events for 2007-2008,
  • To create ways of attracting new members.

A year later I would like to analyse what we have done and what we have managed to achieve in the last year, but more importantly, I would like to use the second part of this meeting to discuss the strategy of where we want to arrive in the year ahead of us.

I have decided to make a SWOT analysis in order to find out what have been our Strength, our Weakness, our Opportunities and our Threats vis-à-vis what we have proposed to do as listed above, and what we have achieved.

Strengths

I consider the following to be our strengths:

  1. The fact we have managed to remain active in spite of our commitments and our busy lives. In the last year no less than 10 meetings were held and many more activities were held in between these meetings.
  2. The fact although we differed in opinions, we always managed to arrive to some form of consensus.
  3. The fact that many of our members have expertise in the area of gender equality and related areas.
  4. The fact that our 14 members come from such a diverse base of organisations and have different experiences and different interests which are enriching to the confederation
  5. The fact that we have slowly gained recognition by the two main political parties
  6. The fact that we have been invited to give our opinion on key strategic matters organised by the political parties (PN vision for 2015 and Labour Party’s Position on the Family)
  7. The fact that we managed to get coverage in the newspapers each time we asked for it.
  8. The fact that we managed to get meetings sometimes at very short notice, with both the Prime Minister as well as with the Leader of the Opposition and with Minister Dolores Cristina on more than one occasion.
  9. The fact that we were invited to meet the delegation of Women’s Rights  from the European Parliament where we lobbied for the change in the 20 hour threshold for part time workers to be eligible for pro-rata benefits.
  10. The fact that we had access to both TV and radio programmes in order to pass on our messages(Super 1, Bla Agenda, Net TV  programme,  and RTK and National radio)
  11. The fact that so many of our members had the opportunity to travel abroad to widen their experience in this area thanks to the EWL.
  12. The fact that Renee, who is one of our members received an award for the recognition of the work she has carried out in the area of gender equality.
  13. The fact that we managed to organise activities for Women’s Day.
  14. The fact that we managed to lobby in favour of the pension reform
  15. The fact that we managed to write our opinion on the pre-budget document.
  16. The fact that we took action on the child care centre at Mater Dei
  17. The fact that we wrote to the press on the lack of nominations for female judges.
  18. The fact that we met the Commissioner for domestic Violence – Dr Marcelline Naudi.
  19. The fact that we collaborated with NCPE on the Mosaic Project
  20. The fact that we participated in all the board meetings of the EWL
  21. The fact that we managed to disseminate huge amounts of useful information thanks to the EWL.
  22. The fact that we started to keep month-by-month records of our activities and are organising ourselves more.
  23. The fact that we managed to increase our members from 11 to 14 during the last year.
  24. The fact that we took an active part in the EWL issues groups.
  25. The fact that we were invited to mentor ESF funded projects on behalf of other NGO’s.

Weaknesses

I consider the following to be our weaknesses:

  1. The fact that we did not manage to generate extra funds
  2. The fact that we still do not have a website
  3. The fact that we do not have our own premises
  4. The fact that we do not have staff to assist us in our work.
  5. The fact that nearly all members have very busy schedules.
  6. The fact that not all members attend on a regular basis
  7. The fact that not all members contribute towards the Confederation
  8. The fact that we do not write on the papers on a regular basis
  9. The fact that we have not established contact with the smaller political party Alternattiva Democratica.
  10. The fact that we did not organise any activities for the general public.
  11. The fact that we did not organise our independent members and use their expertise and talents.
  12. The fact that not all members contribute enough
  13. The fact that issues are not thrashed out

Opportunities

I consider the following to be our opportunities:

  1. To find ways of finding sponsors in order to establish our website.
  2. To continue increasing our membership base
  3. To continue to work as a united front.
  4. To increase the activities of the confederation by involving our members in the activities of the Confederation
  5. To find ways of generating extra revenue
  6. To find ways of organising our independent members
  7. To organise meetings with the smaller political parties Alternattiva Democratica and Allejanza Nazzjonali.
  8. To organise meetings with the MEP’s we have not yet met.
  9. To organise ad hoc meetings with the aim of discussing certain controversial issues in order to determine MCWO’s position on the issues.
  10. To invite all religious denominations to join MCWO
  11. To meet organisations that represent older people and pensioners
  12. To meet organisations that represent younger people
  13. To liase with immigrants

Threats/ Challenges

I consider the following to be our threats:

  1. Letting politics interfere in the work of the Confederation
  2. Taking important action without the consensus of all.
  3. Not being given enough support by government
  4. The fact that sometimes we do not understand each other and do not listen to each other.
  5. The Maltese culture and the influence of religion
  6. The fact that the equality legislation is limiting.

So when looking back at what we have proposed to do last year, I feel that our strengths by far outweigh our weaknesses and threats. We have managed to achieve so much thanks to all of you who gave your ideas, lent your support, made contacts, attended activities on behalf of the Confederation and kept the Confederation very much alive with your discussions and debate.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for giving me this opportunity to lead this Confederation. It has not always been easy, but overall I must say that I have found the experience enriching and very satisfying.

Thank you all once again.

Anna Borg

7th February 2008

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