The International Day of Families, celebrated on May the 15th, is an annual observance that reflects the importance attached to the role of families. In particular, this year highlights the role of the fathers in the family and the responsibilities and challenges that come with it.

An overview of the Maltese family structure can be obtained by analyzing the household composition by type. According to census of population and housing 2005, the highest number of households was in the Northern Harbour district with 42,731 households followed by the Southern Harbour district with 28,192. The largest proportion of Maltese households were those with no dependent children. In fact, households with two adults, both under 65 years of age were the most common.

In 2005, married persons made up 48.5 per cent of the total population, followed by single persons. The number of registered marriages dropped slightly during 2007, though there was an overall increase during the past years. Furthermore, it was observed that the most common age for getting married for both grooms and brides in 2007 was between the ages of 25 and 29. However, the second most common age for getting married amongst grooms was 30-34, whilst for brides it was between 20 and 24.

Married persons, especially males were more likely to be engaged in the labour force, while women were more likely to be inactive due to taking care of the household or family. This is supported by the findings for marriages in 2007. The total live births in 2007 stood at 3,871. In the same year, it was observed that the most common age of the father when having a baby was 30-34, while for mothers it was between 25 and 29. It was noted that births outside marriage were on the increase amongst Maltese persons.

In 2007, the unemployment rate for parents was 4.7 per cent, though when considering married parents only, this decreased to 4.2 per cent. Furthermore, one-third of employed persons who became fathers in 2007 worked as clerks and in crafts and related trades.

A total of €472 million was expended by the Government on social benefits in 2007, showing an increase when compared to the previous year.

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