Malta's human rights problems go beyond LGBTIQ - report

The government has boundless enthusiasm for LGBTIQ issues, but other issues such as the environment and good governance have been brushed aside, according to the author of an annual human rights report.

“The adoption of the Gender Identity Act is considered to be the most significant human rights development of last year.

“However, issues raised in 2014 such as the failure to handle the environment as a national human rights issue, the lack of work on a national migrant integration policy and the government’s silence on growing racial hatred remain unaddressed,” Neil Falzon told Times of Malta ahead of the launch of the Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta (Phrom) second annual human rights report.

The report collects the views of some 30 NGOs on human rights developments and shortcomings in Malta throughout 2015.

The 2014 report - titled 'Looking Beyond the Rainbow' - expressed frustration that while LGBTIQ rights were given primary and unprecedented attention by the government, other human rights remained in the shadows.

This year's report, 'Greener and Cleaner', hails the creation of the Front Ħarsien ODZ as a positive development, as it showed that people have...