Malta, the tiny southern European island with a population of just over 420,000, made history earlier this month by becoming the first European country to criminalize “deceptive and harmful” conversion therapy, defined as any practice which aims to change, repress or eliminate a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, Time Magazine reports.

However, while Malta has been recognized for its more progressive policies on gay rights, in some respects it is still very conservative. HIV treatment provisions are well behind other European countries and abortion remains a taboo, the influential magazine reports.

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