The Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) have launched a campaign aiming to tackle numerous key issues faced by students on campus in Malta. These include namely drug use, gender equality and mental health.

Running from January to June 2021, the campaign acts as an umbrella campaign for these three other sub-campaigns; ‘Beyond the Influence: A Drug Use Awareness Campaign’, ‘The Future is Equal: A Gender Equality Campaign’ and ‘Mind Your Health: A Mental Health Campaign’.

Funded by the European Union, each sub-campaign will boast debates, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, workshops and many more awareness-raising initiatives.

These discussions – including inputs by relevant parties – are aimed to serve as the basis for policy recommendations.

“We are inviting the civil society to play an important role in policy-making. Our ultimate goal is to truly embrace our future and our EU, especially in a post COVID-19 society,” commented Yasmine Ellul, KSU Student Affairs Officer and a coordinator of the Your FuturEU campaign.

Through these campaigns, the KSU President Matthew Xuereb has stated that “rather than simply creating awareness, KSU is committed to providing a forum for ideas and forward-looking policy.”

He also explained that this project is not only focused towards contributing locally, yet also on a European level as well.

This campaign comes after it has been noted that these three issues have been increased over the pandemic period – with mental health and drug use having been impacted significantly throughout COVID-19 induced lockdowns and restrictions.

In terms of gender equality meanwhile, Alexandra Gaglione, a coordinator behind this campaign, said that “Malta currently ranks 15^th on the EU Gender Equality Index, scoring 4.5 below the EU’s average.” Yet, Gaglione also stated that Malta has been “One of the fastest progressors among all member states.”

By seeking to explore and create a proper debate behind these key issues faced by students and those in the professional workforce, KSU hopes to allow the proper space for students and youths to explore and develop their future and the future of an EU the wish to live and work in.

The full campaign can be followed here.

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