The Year of Equal Opportunities is over...

The 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All seeks to make people in the European Union more aware of their rights to equal treatment and to a life free of discrimination. These are two of the basic principles underpinning the EU.

Our movement has been working voluntarily in the disability sector for seven years now and people with disabilities and their families know very well that we all have equal rights. The fact that seven years ago Malta enacted the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act has helped raise more awareness.

The European Year of Equal Opportunities for All is over now. Has it brought about positive changes in the lives of persons with disabilities in Malta? Persons with disability in Malta need, want and ask for action now and not (only) awareness. Despite the movement's pressure for the right to adult education for persons who have intellectual disability after they finish Fifth Form in mainstream schools, these students are still without a proper and serious programme which enables them to achieve their "development of the whole personality including the ability of every person to work" (Education Act). This is one of the various issues the movement has worked on and which, to date, has not been realised.

The movement has also drawn the attention of the authorities to the fact that the Board of the National Commission Persons with Disability (NCPD) is not composed according to the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act. Not all disabilities are represented on the board and the members have been chosen in their personal capacity. The authorities must remedy this unacceptable situation. All disability issues should be put forward and dealt with professionally by the NCPD board.