"Give to Gain": Building a Balanced Future for 21st Century Work and Life

When: March 6, 2026

Where: Rabat, Malta

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FIDEM Foundation is organising it's Annual Women's Day Conference on Friday 6th March, 2026.

This year's theme is forward-looking as the conference is focused on Building a Balanced Future for 21st Century Work and Life.

Through real stories, lived experiences, and practical solutions, the conference explores how workplaces can better support modern realities, from caregiving and parenthood to equality and wellbeing.

The Conference consists of 2 panel discussions followed by 2 workshops.

Panel 1: The Visible Struggle: Malta’s Work-Life (im)balance

Prof. Anna Borg from the Malta Women’s Lobby will open the session by introducing the theme of Malta’s work–life (im)balance, highlighting the country’s high work–family conflicts, the fact that studies show that only 1% of men take the largest share of caregiving, and the resulting impacts on work–life outcomes and fertility.

This panel will bring together workers from diverse backgrounds to share first-hand experiences of balancing work and family life in Malta.

Policymakers and experts will reflect on the experiences shared, assess their implications for Malta’s workforce, and identify practical, evidence-based actions that can better support work–life balance for both employees and employers.

Panel 2: The Invisible Load: Unseen Pressures Shaping the Modern Workforce

This panel looks at the broader spectrum of pressures facing Malta’s workforce and explores the less visible challenges affecting workers’ wellbeing and performance in Malta.  

Discussions will address how domestic violence, eldercare responsibilities, single caregiving roles, and other pressures that influence employees’ mental health, productivity, and participation in the labour market.  

Policymakers, social partners, and experts will examine how workplaces and national policies can adapt to recognise and relieve these hidden burdens.

2 workshops will follow. These will identify the changes needed at national and organisational levels and to develop concrete recommendations for future planning. The workshops will be led by professionals in their respective fields.  

Alongside this policy focus, life coaches will guide participants in exploring practical, personal strategies for improving work-life balance, helping them reflect on what changes they would like to see at a personal level, what is within their control, and where broader structural action is needed.

The aim of the Conference is to create a workforce that truly works for everyone.

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