Report on discrimination and equality in Malta

The European Documentation and Research Centre of the University of Malta has just published a major Report on Anti-discrimination, Inclusion and Equality in Malta. The report is a ground-breaking study carried out under the umbrella of the Civil Society Project conducted by this recognised European Centre of Excellence and sponsored this year by the European Commission, the Strickland Foundation, the Farsons Foundation, Union Haddiema Maghqudin, Air Malta and the Malta Financial Services Authority.

The 260-page report includes 21 reports on the current state of the law in Europe and in Malta, its implementation or non-implementation in practice and the general social context seen as prevalent in Malta today.

By no means "purely academic", it is by design a report produced by people who practise in the field and have direct experience as leading union officials, workers in the voluntary sector, leaders of representative associations, Church organisations, lawyers, educators among others. This was a practical exercise intended to have practical effect by giving voice to civil society.

The report documents the advances that have been made in this field in recent years by the government and government agencies and by non-governmental and other organisations and bodies, but it highlights the crucial role of civil society organisations and civil society as a whole.

Most importantly, it identifies the gaps in protection and equality that exist or are perceived to exist, and analyses their depth and their causes. It offers up preliminary conclusions and recommendations for the creation of a more inclusive, cohesive and just society, and therefore a society more at peace with itself.

However, it does not hide the naked truth about real or perceived prejudice, ignorance or even hypocrisy that occasionally or (thankfully more rarely) systemically run through our society. For the first time, and without pulling any punches, a comprehensive study of the different forms of discrimination to which persons may be subjected by reason of characteristics or circumstances that happen to vary from the norm is put before the Maltese audience.

The report holds up a mirror to the face of each and every one of us. Its effect is to create a real awareness of the issues and to ask point blank what it is that we stand for and what kind of society we want for ourselves and our children, be we white or black, Christian or 'other', able-bodied or not fully so, of Maltese origin or not, female or male, heterosexual or homosexual or any 'thing' else.

Whatever makes us different or appear different, no person is a 'thing' or a 'something'. Yet this is what discrimination relies on, the seeing of persons as 'things' or 'a problem', as objects rather than subjects.

As the report indicates, there are no easy answers to the creation of a cohesive society in which there is unity with justice in diversity. Such must be worked for, but Malta and its people cannot avoid the hard questions that must be asked and the often difficult (because all internal change is difficult) remedies that may be needed.

The report will therefore be disseminated as widely as the EDRC can manage. It is available to the public as from mid-July. It has been made available two months before the holding of a national Civil Society Conference that the EDRC is holding for all NGOs and their members and all citizens of good will.

The theme is "Working for an Inclusive Society" and the Conference will be held at Le Meridien Phoenicia on September 15. Registration for attendance at the Conference is now open, and all registering their attendance now will receive a copy of the report immediately.

The studies contained in the report will not be presented anew at the conference. They will be taken 'as read'. The format of the conference will be that a series of six overseas speakers, all experts in the field, will address the conference in the morning session on the main themes covered by the report.

In the afternoon, workshops will be held on each of the main grounds of discrimination covered in the report (sex, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, age) with much time for discussion, the testing of the preliminary conclusions of the report, and the opportunity to incorporate into the local debate the ideas voiced by our guest expert speakers during the morning session.

This then is a unique opportunity for all who work for, or wish to contribute to, a fairer and more inclusive society here in Malta to make their voice heard by participating in this civil society initiative.

Book your copy of the report and your place at the conference on September 15 by down-loading a conference booking form from http://home.um.edu.mt/edrc/CSP_ Registration_Form.doc, and sending it with payment of Lm15 to cover a copy of the report, lunch, refreshments and conference materials, including follow-up CD, to: Communications Officer, EDRC, University of Malta, Msida. Cheques should be payable to "University of Malta, EDRC".

Booking forms may also be obtained by calling 2340-2136 or 2340-2001, or by e-mail on edrc@um.edu.mt.