Move along, please

How refreshing to read Klaus Vella Bardon’s clear-sighted analysis of the ‘gay rights’ agenda (October 14) and his robust rejection of the claim that those who share his views condone discrimination and even hatred against LGBTQ people.

A proper appreciation of the importance and value of (heterosexual) marriage does not necessarily involve criticising or condemning people for whom (heterosexual) marriage is not a possibility.

What many people (including some homosexual people) do find objectionable is the apparent view of the LGBTQ ‘gay rights’ agenda, that one’s sexual identity is the ‘be all and end all’ of one’s existence, instead of being just a relatively small part of human life.

For people who hold this view, sexuality becomes a kind of religion, with its rites, its rights, its persecution and its martyrdom at the hands of the ‘orthodox’.

Most people are heterosexual – what most people would therefore regard as ‘normal’. Why some LGBTQ people should find this so threatening is truly one of life’s mysteries. Most people are, some people aren’t – get used to it and move on.

ALAN COOKE – Sliema

Inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) emphasises the importance of inclusion and equality in services for persons with disabilities.

Specifically, article 19 of the UNCRPD outlines the right of persons with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community. This means that services, whether educational, health-related, or otherwise, should not be segregated but instead provided in an inclusive manner that promotes participation and integration into society.

Inclusive education promotes the idea that all students, regardless of ability, can learn together in the same environment with the necessary support. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

This principle calls for services to be accessible and delivered in mainstream settings, ensuring that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities as others without being isolated or treated differently. This aligns with the broader goals of fostering inclusion, equality and respect for human dignity, as outlined by the UNCRPD.

This requires a shift from traditional, segregated models of care and education to a more integrated approach, where persons with disabilities live, learn and engage in the same environments as everyone else, with the necessary accommodations to meet their needs.

In practice, this includes:

Accessibility: Ensuring that education, healthcare, employment and public spaces are fully accessible is foundational to inclusion. This includes not only physical access but also access to information, communication and services that consider the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.

Policy implementation: While inclusive policies may exist on paper, their implementation often lags behind. Commitment to ensuring that these policies are fully enacted is essential. For example, ensuring that mainstream schools have adequate resources, funding and teacher training programmes that focus on inclusive education. Additionally, monitoring and accountability mechanisms should be in place to track the implementation and impact of these policies.

Societal attitudes: One of the greatest barriers to inclusion is societal attitudes. In Malta, there are still challenges in terms of how disability is perceived. Deep-rooted stereotypes and biases can lead to segregation, even if unintentionally. Shifting societal attitudes to embrace diversity and difference as valuable assets is crucial.

Education streaming, where students with disabilities are placed in separate programmes or schools based on their perceived abilities, can have a long-term negative impact on their development and social integration. It creates barriers between children with disabilities and their peers, reinforcing the idea that disability is something to be separated or ‘fixed’. Such approaches can reduce the opportunities for students with disabilities to develop social skills, form friendships and be part of their broader school community.

Instead, inclusive education promotes the idea that all students, regardless of ability, can learn together in the same environment with the necessary support. It aligns with the UNCRPD’s vision of equality, non-discrimination and participation in society.

MARTHESE MUGLIETTE – president, The Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability (MFOPD) – Santa Venera