Video-clips issued by MAPFRE Middlesea and Malta Public Transport serving as education on road-safety have fallen under scrutiny over its implications of racial and gender stereotypes and have subsequently been 'paused' by the company.

The National Commission for Promotion of Equality (NCPE) has officially asked for the withdrawal of these video-clips from the two entities due to their problematic portrayal of race and gender.

Though the NCPE recognised the fact that these portrayals might have been unintentional, the videos still show racialised characters through specific skin-colours and hair-textures, with black characters being portrayed negatively. Women and men were also given stereotypical gender roles within and outside the household.

The NCPE said that published material is to be free from racist and sexist stereotypes to prevent prejudice and equality in society. The withdrawal of these video-clips is to be expected, said the body.

Organisations can contact the NCPE for assistance and training regarding equality, discrimination and harassment.

In a reactionary statement, Malta Public Transport said that it “would like to ensure that its educational content clearly communicates its values of inclusivity and equal opportunities, therefore the campaign will be paused until it has been discussed with all stakeholders and a consensus is reached as to the best method to raise awareness on road safety.”

The company said that it has reached out to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, Black Lives Matter Malta and the African Media Association to discuss the educational videos being produced to promote Road Safety in Malta.