PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY
FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND EQUALITY
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The Human Rights
& Integration Directorate is holding two days of discussions with a
delegation from South Africa which includes Mr John Jefferey, Deputy Minister
for Justice, and Mr Njabulo Nzuza, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, as well as
several high-level officials and civil society representatives. The
exchange is focusing on Malta’s Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex
Characteristics Act, which is globally recognised as a model legislation, and
its effective implementation.
In his address, Minister for European Affairs and Equality Edward Zammit
Lewis stressed that while legal and policy reform are essential, changing
societal attitudes is an ongoing process that requires knowledge, commitment
and resources. Minister Zammit Lewis held that political leadership, coupled
with civil society involvement, is crucial to ensure that any measures adopted
address real issues and concerns and that they are effectively enforced and
mainstreamed across all sectors.
To that end, the Minister concluded that the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, the
Equality Act and the Human Rights and Equality Commission Act, both of which
are currently before Parliament, are a great step forward and reiterated his
commitment to leave no stone unturned in the Ministry’s mission to wipe out all
forms of discrimination which, despite the Government’s best efforts, persist
to this day. “Equality for all is a must”.
During the visit the delegation met with officials from a number of
Ministries including the Attorney General’s Office, the Notarial Chamber,
Identity Malta, the Ministry for Education, the Ministry for Health and the
Ministry for Home Affairs as well as with a various academics from the
University of Malta. Civil society representatives were also invited to
participate.
A return visit by a Maltese delegation to South Africa will take place in
December.
The study visit
is part of a project co-financed by the European Union under the South Africa –
EU Strategic Partnership, Dialogue Facility. The partners in the project are:
The Human Rights & Integration Directorate at MEAE; the Gender Studies
Department of the University of Malta; the Ministry of Justice of South Africa;
the Ministry of Home Affairs of South Africa; the Department of Health of South
Africa; Iranti
and the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) at the University of
the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa).