A new strategy focused on LGBTIQ rights was launched by the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality yesterday. The LGBTIQ Equality Strategy & Action Plan will run till 2022 and is the second of its kind, after the first focused on changing and modernising legislation related to LGBTIQ rights.
With Malta now in first place for these rights in the legislative sense, Minister for European Affairs and Equality Helena Dalli said that the next step was to focus on the social realities that LGBTIQ people face.
Dalli said that she wanted a society where anyone can live their lives to their full potential irrelevant of their sexual orientation.
Dalli described the strategy as the 'mainstreaming' of LGBTIQ rights into society. The term 'mainstreaming' is here defined as seeing that in any part of society, a person doesn't need to think twice about whether they're going to be welcomed or not due to their sexual orientation.
Indeed a study published by Eurobarometer three years ago already gave the indication that there had been a large jump forward in the positive perception that Maltese society holds towards those falling into the LGBTIQ bracket. The latest Eurobarometer study on this subject is expected to be published in October and will give a much clearer indication of the situation today.
Gabi Calleja will be the person in charge of the implementation of this strategy, and she said that the strategy will focus on seeing how the laws that have already been implemented have the full desired impact on society. Calleja explained that the measures within this strategy touch upon various elements of life, such as the workplace, education sector, health and sports.
The strategy also contains measures to help other countries across the world arrive at the stage Malta was at in terms of these LGBTIQ rights.
She concluded that the biggest challenge that they had faced, and expect to face, is not transphobia or homophobia; it's the normalisation of these rights within society. The strategy and action plan launched on Friday, Calleja said, aims to overcome this challenge.
What does the strategy say?
The strategy itself deals with a number of different sectors, with measures pertaining to each one. It will be implemented by a combination of entities; a Human Rights and Integration Directorate, a SOGIGESC (Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics) Unit and an LGBTIQ Consultative Council.
Equality and Freedom from Discrimination
The first area aims to improve the anti-discrimination framework applicable to LGBTIQ persons with a view of guaranteeing equality in practice.
Some measures in this regard include adopting an 'Equality Act' to tackle discrimination in 'all spheres of life' and also adopting public service guidelines on sex and gender which will look at the collection, use and retention of sex and gender information within government departments.
Another measure as part of this plan is to conduct a national survey to capture LGBTIQ realities while the plan also says that it will ensure that the public service will become a 'model employer' for LGBTIQ employees.
Other measures as part of this area will focus on dialogue with employers' organisations and unions on the rights of LGBTIQ employees, whilst conducting a targeted outreach to vulnerable LGBTIQ job seekers and also developing an 'LGBTIQ-inclusive environment' within the police force, including through the adoption of a 'gender-neutral' uniform.
Education
The second area looks to integrate the principle of equal treatment and non-discrimination on the grounds of SOGIGESC into the education system.
Measures in this sense include ensuring that gender equality and LGBTIQ issues are 'mainstreamed' throughout the education curriculum whilst also providing the relevant resources such as story books, fiction or non-fiction books to schools for children and adolescents. Furthermore, 'Diversity Days' will be organised in secondary and post-secondary state educational institutions whilst LGBTIQ-related themes will be introduced in parents' seminars.
A 'Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students in Schools Policy' and other LGBTIQ relevant policies will also be integrated into school development plans.
Health
There are a number of measures which pertain to improving LGBTIQ persons' general wellbeing and access to healthcare services. These are subject to the sustainability of the National Health Service and to the cost coverage under the Social Security Act as well.
One notable measure is a system of cost coverage of trans, intersex and gender queer-specific healthcare along with ensuring access to a range of medical interventions and hormone therapies.
Another measure is the setting up of a gender wellbeing clinic for the provision of health and wellbeing services to trans, intersex and gender queer persons.
Awareness campaigns on wellbeing concerns and mental health issues along with policies and procedures ensuring matters of privacy and providing resources that relate to testing, treatment and prevention of HIV infections.
Sports
In what is possibly the first attempt to delve into the sports field in such a concise and mapped out manner, the plan aims to promote equal participation of LGBTIQ athletes in sports and increase awareness of the need for a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTIQ persons among sport organisations and clubs alike.
The main point is to enter into dialogue with national sport governing bodies to review current rules, policies and practices that may impinge on LGBTIQ athletes. Furthermore, the plan aims to tackle the stigma that may preclude LGBTIQ athletes from coming out and being their true selves.
For this sector, it was announced during the press conference that contact had already been made with the Malta Football Association to open discussions.
International
Another area with focus is the promotion of LGBTIQ equality on an international level and to raise awareness of international standards of equality and non-discrimination.
As part of this plan, Malta will be raising and contributing to the achievement of LGBTIQ equality in a number of international fora such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
Indeed in line with this, the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme which formalises Malta's contributions along with the UNDP to advance equality, human rights and social inclusion on gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Asia and the Pacific.
Other notable areas
The plan focuses on several other sectors. One such area is in removing all obstacles vis-a-vis the right to private and family life, with measures such as equal access to reproductive health services along with legislation and policy measures that relate to this field.
Furthermore, Article 82A of the Criminal Code will be amended to cover the grounds of SOGIGESC for individuals and groups alike. This measure will be part of measures to consolidate the legislation tackling LGBTIQ-phobic hate crime and introduce the right protocols to deal with such crime.
The relationship between the government and LGBTIQ civil society will also be consolidated with measures such as the setting up of a web portal to gather all relevant information for the LGBTIQ community.
How will it be monitored and when will it run?
The measures will be monitored and evaluated quarterly by an LGBTIQ Equality Unit which will draw up a report focusing on the progress achieved with the implementation of this Action Plan.
The report will highlight whether the implementation is on track or otherwise, and, if it is not, will propose remedial action from the implementing entity.
An annual report on the progress will also be presented during the annual LGBTIQ conference organised by the SOGIGESC Unit.