The drafting of a bill that will introduce the ‘living will’ in Malta, allowing mentally competent adults to declare in advance which medical treatments they would not wish to receive, has reached an advanced stage, Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms Rebecca Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg announced this during a press conference on the 2026 Budget measures, a government statement said.

Buttigieg said that this bill, which provides for Advance Medical Directives, is being drawn up following public consultation on voluntary assisted euthanasia, during which several individuals and medical professionals expressed the need for such legislation.

She said that the Budget allocates more than €4 million to continue implementing an equality policy that strengthens the protection and respect of human rights.

Buttigieg said that in the three international equality indices published in recent months, Malta has continued to achieve positive results thanks to numerous reforms introduced since the establishment of the Human Rights Directorate 10 years ago.

She said that the largest tax reduction for families with children, together with other special and additional leave measures announced in the Budget, show that government will continue pursuing policies that ensure a better balance between family and work responsibilities.

Buttigieg also said that this month marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based and domestic violence.

This year, the campaign will include a new initiative providing shelter for those truly in need while experiencing domestic violence, she said.

“Through this initiative, government will support victims of domestic violence who require alternative accommodation during separation proceedings, a measure designed to offer real help to victims,” she said.

The Parliamentary Secretary said that the reforms being proposed through various strategies by her Secretariat form part of Malta’s Vision 2050, which links the country’s economic progress with social advancement and environmental protection, to ensure a better quality of life for families and for future generations.