Parliament has unanimously voted in favour of a Bill that has added disability as a protected characteristic, in relation to fundamental rights and freedoms, in the Constitution.
During Wednesday's plenary, both sides of the House fully backed the Bill, thus allowing persons with disabilities, as well as entities, to claim that their rights have been violated or discriminated against on this basis.
The Minister for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Julia Farrugia, said that this was not yet possible prior to these constitutional amendments, and, therefore, this step was necessary in order for this guarantee to formally come into effect by extending constitutional protections and right for a person to take action.
Minister Farrugia clarified that this Bill was not tabled to grant persons with disabilities with new rights, as these rights are already guaranteed through Malta's international obligations and other domestic laws.
"We are confirming, through the country's highest laws, that every person with a disability in Malta and Gozo is also part of our nation," Minister Farrugia said, "Through this step, we are restoring dignity to these persons in the same way that this government restored dignity to LGBTIQ+ persons through similar amendments in 2014."
She stated that this Bill's enactment is not a symbolic gesture, but part of a wider continuous package of measures - legislative and practical - that this government shall continue to implement as pledged in its electoral manifesto.
The Inclusion Minister said that these measures include schemes, such as the extension of personal assistance and budgets as tools for independent living, together with complimentary legislation that combats discrimination on the basis of disability, by backing processes related to complaints and enforcement, as well as access to justice and relevant structures in accordance with Malta's international obligations.
This vote received 72 votes in favour and zero votes against from Members of Parliament on Wednesday. It required a two-thirds majority to be voted through.
Just prior to this Bill's Third Reading and subsequent vote, the PN had walked out of the Chamber to block a separate Bill - Bill 3, on the establishment of a National Commission for Human Rights and Equality - from being passed. The Opposition had walked out on the basis that a public consultation was required, especially after several NGOs called for Wednesday's vote to be postponed just earlier in the day.
As a result, Bill 3 was blocked from being enacted, despite the voting result being 38 votes in favour to none against. The Speaker of the House, Carmelo Abela, said that this Bill was blocked as a result of the walk-out, as it failed to receive the two-thirds support required.
This Bill's Third Reading immediately followed. All Opposition MPs re-entered the Chamber to vote in favour of this Bill to add disability as a protected characteristic within the Constitution of Malta.