NCPE urges parties to revive stalled human rights commission reform
Commission says proposed law would have strengthened Malta's anti-discrimination framework
The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) on Thursday urged government and the opposition to “move forward with much-needed” reform after the Bill establishing the National Human Rights and Equality Commission was halted.
In a statement on Thursday, the NCPE underlined the “urgent need to finally overhaul” the legal frameworks protecting people from discrimination as it expressed its “disappointment” that the process was blocked.
The Bill, which requires a two-thirds majority, failed to clear parliament on Wednesday evening after the Opposition MPs walked out before the final vote.
The walkout followed mounting criticism from organisations representing employers, businesses, insurers, pharmacists, women and church schools, which argued that legislation of such constitutional and social significance should not be approved without wider consultation.
However, on Thursday the NCPE, which would be replaced by the new proposed commission, said the Bill would have strengthened the Commission by making it answerable to Parliament, reinforcing its independence.
The NCPE, which was established in 2004, has consistently called for the establishment of a new Commission with a stronger legal framework that “retains, strengthens and widens” the equality mandate while also taking on the human rights mandate “which is currently absent in Malta”.
It pointed out the Bill, which was spearheaded by Equality Minister Rosianne Cutajar, would establish “a more coherent and robust” equality framework that addresses shortcomings in current equality legislation and extend its remit to include human rights.
“The enactment of this Bill would not have detracted from the Commission's current mandate or work. Rather, it would have enhanced its capacity to address different grounds and areas of discrimination through stronger independence, increased resources, and a more robust institutional framework,” the NCPE said.
It added the adoption of the Bills would “strengthen what truly matters: accessibility to a stronger Commission that can effectively safeguard and promote equality and human rights for everyone”.
The establishment of a National Human Rights and Equality Commission has been under discussion since 2014, with various rounds of consultations, as well as a previous Parliamentary process that also came to an end, with the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the 2022 general election.