ADPD Deputy Chairperson and Spokesperson on European Union & Civil Rights Mina Jack Tolu said that this EuroPride has brought about a lot of mixed feelings: it’s been great to connect with LGBTIQ+ communities from across Europe and the rest of the World in various conferences, discussions and other intimate occasions where one discovers the hope of what can be achieved when one works together.
At the same time, a number of issues have been highlighted during this week, in particular about the implementation of laws in Malta, and how certain policies and practices are actually leading to increased red tape and bureaucracy. Tolu mentioned the examples of the additional hurdles being faced by trans-children to access legal gender recognition or for trans people who are neuro-atypical/neuro-divergent to access trans specific healthcare where even more steps are being added in between their access to healthcare and their starting point in their transition.
In the case of LGBTIQ+ migrants who are not coming from safe countries who seek refuge in Europe and seek asylum in Malta, whereas they should be safeguarded in LGBTIQ+ legislation they face the risk of being sent back to countries which Malta considers safe even if homosexuality is criminalised. The barriers these migrants face when accessing legal aid, in communicating with local NGOs and LGBTIQ+ organisations that can support them in their application for asylum is unacceptable.
ADPD appeals that every step to support these persons who come to Europe to find an LGBTIQ+ community that accepts them but instead are faced with a lot of bureaucracy and closed doors, concluded Tolu.
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Danish Member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the Greens-EFA group concurred with the previous speaker that although Malta is at the forefront in civil rights there are still steps to be taken in order to ensure gender equality and equality for LGBTIQ+ people.
Across Europe there is currently a backlash sweeping against rights of all minorities as Conservative parties move to the Right and joining forces with Extreme Right parties. She singled out Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland and even in the US and globally.
“It is therefore important that we keep uniting progressive forces in driving the change to ensure equal rights and opportunities in all of Europe”. Peter-Hansen concluded by auguring that Malta will remain in the forefront of this struggle.
ADPD General Secretary Dr Ralph Cassar thanked all the European Greens and Green Members of the European and national parliaments who have joined ADPD in Malta and serve as an inspiration to continue the struggle for a Greener Malta and Europe. Including Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, Petra de Sutter, MEPs Kira Marie Peter-Hansen and Kim van Sparrentak, French Senator Mélanie Vogel, Belgian Senator Fourat Ben Chika, Swedish MP Ulrika Westerlund, Finnish MP Fatim Diarra, and Macedonian MP Maja Morachanin.
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Konferenza stampa dwar il-EuroPride
Kelliema tal-ADPD-The Green Party indirizzaw konferenza stampa dwar il-EuroPride quddiem il-Parlament il-Belt dalghodu bil-parteċipazzjoni ta’ Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, MPE Daniża fil-grupp tal-Greens-EFA. Huma insistew li d-drittijiet li ksibna matul is-snin irridu nibqghu niddefenduhom dejjem.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD, Sandra Gauci qalet li hekk kif wasalna fil-konklużjoni taċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-EuroPride, iktar ma naqraw anke fl-aħbarijiet dwar inċidenti li ġraw ta’ omofobija, naraw kemm il-Pride għandna bżonnha – kemm il-Pride hija rilevanti u li kull ġurnata irridu niġġieldu għad-drittijiet tagħna.
Ma nistgħux nieħdu id-drittijiet tagħna for granted, ma nistgħux ngħidu li iva għandna l-aqwa liġijiet biex jipproteġu il-komunita’ għaliex anke jekk inħarsu x’qiegħed jiġri fl-Ewropa hemm attakki fuq il-komunita’ LGBTIQ+ u f’Malta ukoll hawn movimenti fejn kemm jistgħu jippruvaw joħonqu id-drittijiet tal-komunita’.
“Bħala ADPD aħna minn dejjem konna wara il-komunita’ LGBTIQ+ u dejjem sejrin issibuna warajkom u qatt m’aħna sejrin inbiddlu din il-posizzjoni għaliex nemmnu li kulħadd irid ikun liberu li jesprimi lilu innifsu u li jesprimi l-imħabba tiegħu. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu inkomplu naħsbu li irridu – f’isem xi reliġjon, jew minħabba it-tfal – nifggħu u nżommu lura lin-nies milli jesprimu dak li huma.
“Irridu ninvestu aktar fl-edukazzjoni u inħarrġu professjonisti bħal tobba, għalliema u pulizija dwar kif għandhom jittrattaw ma’ membri tal-komunita’ LGBTIQ+,” temmet tgħid Gauci.
