At a press conference in Gwardamanga today, ADPD – The Green Party spoke about their proposals and vision for an equal and inclusive society.

Mina Tolu, ADPD candidate on districts 9 and 10, highlighted some of ADPD’s proposals on LGBTQI rights. “This election we have streamlined LGBTQI issues throughout the manifesto, across the areas of health, migration, education, and equality.” they said.

“As a non-binary trans person who is accessing trans specific healthcare through the Gender Wellbeing Clinic, I know as well as other trans people in Malta, how long the waiting lists are. As ADPD we would increase funding to this clinic, to decrease waiting times and allow more inclusive access to this vital service.”

“Additionally in the area of healthcare we are going to work to truly abolish the ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men. This ban, which still exists in practice if not on paper, is discriminatory and based on misinformation about gay men and HIV in particular.”

“Amongst many other proposals we also want to highlight our call for family reunification that is inclusive of LGBTQI refugees. And finally, we wish to see the broadening of legal gender recognition policies to allow non-binary people to change their names.”

Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD chairperson and candidate on districts 4 and 9, sent out a strong statement against all forms of hatred, especially that which seeks to dehumanise and silence individuals, their identities, and their expression in all of its diversity.

He said, “unfortunately also in Malta we can observe the rising trend of hatred from far-right groups in society. Homophobia, transphobia, racism, xenophobia and sexism can and are being used by some politicians to dehumanise individuals in our society. Including during this general election campaign. We cannot accept this.”

“Vote for equality and hope, not hate. ADPD works for a just, and equal society for everyone. Those who seek to silence the marginalised in society should not be trusted when they speak about other topics. Their aim to spread fear and intolerance is disrespectful to all residents in Malta. As it only contributes to a society of hatred and lack of trust between diverse communities.”

Cacopardo ended by stating, “we thank all NGOs who are working in the areas of human rights, for women’s rights, for migrants and refugees, for people with disabilities, and LGBTQI people in Malta. Malta would definitely have been a poorer society without their work and contribution throughout the years.”

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Vot għall-ugwaljanza u it-tama, mhux għall-mibgħeda!

F’konferenza stampa fi Gwardamanga, ADPD – The Green Party tkellmu dwar il-proposti u l-viżjoni tal-partit għal soċjetà fejn tirrenja l-ugwaljanza u l-inklussività.

Mina Tolu, kandidat għad-9 u l-10 distrett, fissru kif l-argumenti dwar il-drittijiet tal-komunità LGBTQI huma mifruxa f’diversi taqsimiet tal-manifest, u ċjoe fl-oqsma tas-saħħa, migrazzjoni, edukazzjoni u l-ugwaljanza.

Tolu qalu : “Bħala persuna trans u li tagħmel użu mill-Gender Wellbeing Clinic li jipprovdi s-servizz nazzjonali tas-saħħa nafu, kif jafu sewwa persuni oħra trans f’Malta, li hemm stennija twila biex tingħata dan is-servizz: il-waiting lists huma twal. ADPD qed nipproponu żieda fil-fondi allokati għal din il-klinika u dan biex jonqos il-ħin ta’ stennija kif ukoll biex dan is-servizz essenzjali jkun iktar inklussiv.”

“B’żieda ma dan, fil-qasam tas-saħħa ser naħdmu biex ma jibqax ipprojibit li jingħata d-demm minn irġiel li jkollhom x’jaqsmu ma rġiel oħra. Din il-projibizzjoni, li fil-prattika għadha teżisti hi diskriminatorja u hi ibbażata fuq informazzjoni żbaljata kemm dwar l-irġiel gay kif ukoll dwar l-HIV.”

“Fost il-bosta proposti fil-manifest elettorali xtaqna nagħmlu emfasi fuq is-sejħa tagħna għal ri-unifikazzjoni ta’ familji  li għandu jinkludi lir-refuġjati LGBTQI. Irridu ukoll inwessgħu l-politika dwar l-għarfien legali tal-ġeneru billi jkun possibli biex persuni non-binary jibdlu isimhom.”

Carmel Cacopardo, chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party u kandidat fuq ir-4 u d-9 distrett għamel emfasi dwar il-ħtieġa li lkoll naħdmu kontra it-tixrid ta’ kull forma ta’ mibgħeda, b’mod partikolari dik li tfittex li tneżża’ lill persuna mill-umanità tagħha, li issikkitha u tkasbar l-identità tal-persuni u l-mod kif huma jesprimu d-diversità tagħhom.

Kompla jgħid li “sfortunatament, anke f’Malta għadna qed nosservaw żieda fit-tixrid tal-mibgħeda minn gruppi assoċjati mal-lemin estrem fis-soċjetà tagħna. L-omofobija, it-transfobija, ir-razziżmu, il-xenofobija u s-sessiżmu għadhom użati minn uħud fil-politika biex ineżżgħu lil uħud mill-umanità tagħhom. Dan qed iseħħ anke f’din il-kampanja elettorali. Dan mhux aċċettabbli..”

“Nivvutaw favur l-ugwaljanza u t-tama u mhux għall-mibgħeda. ADPD taħdem favur soċjeta ġusta u ugwali għal kulħadd.  Dawk li jfittxu li jsikktu lil dawk li huma marġinalizzati mis-soċjetà ma jistgħux ikunu fdati l-anqas meta jitkellmu dwar ħwejjeġ oħra.  L-iskop tagħhom li jxerrdu l-biża’ u l-mibgħeda hu nuqqas ta’ rispett lejn il-Maltin kollha. Dan jikkontribwixxi biex fis-soċjetà titkattar il-mibgħeda u n-nuqqas ta’ fiduċja bejn il-komunitajiet differenti.”

Cacopardo ikkonkluda billi qal li “nirringrazzjaw lill-NGOs li jaħdmu fl-oqsma tad-drittijiet umani, id-drittijiet tal-mara, tal-emigranti u tar-refuġjati, favur il-persuni b’diżabilità u dawk LGBTQI f’Malta. Malta tkun ferm fqira mingħajr il-ħidma tagħhom tul is-snin.”