In the light of the current debate surrounding emergency contraception, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) today expressed its position in favour of making available the morning-after pill in Malta.

Lack of access to the morning-after pill raises an issue of discrimination since the unavailability of this pill penalises primarily women by denying them a pharmaceutical service that would allow them to exert more control over their life. Emergency contraception is important for women to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

The NCPE also notes that other emergency contraception methods, such as the IUD (coil), are already available in Malta. However, these are more costly and less accessible compared to the morning-after pill. Thus, licensing the morning-after pill would enhance access to emergency contraception and safeguard the rights of every woman by ensuring that goods and services offered on the market are available to all women.