10 Years At The Top: Malta Leads LGBTI+ Rights Index Again
Malta has found itself at the top of a European ranking related to the respect of the LGBTI+ community according to countries’ policies, marking a decade of the country in the number one spot.
Malta scored 89% on ILGA-Europe’s annual Rainbow Europe Map, positioning itself at the top of the index for the 10th consecutive year.
The index assesses LGBTI-related policy and laws of European states and these determine the 49 countries’ positioning on the ranking.
In second place comes Belgium followed by Iceland, Denmark and Spain. The countries at the bottom of the list – concluded to permit gross violations of human rights as well as discrimination – are Azerbaijan and Russia at 2%, Turkey at 5%, Armenia with 9% and Belarus at 10%.
The examined categories were: equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition, intersex bodily integrity, civil society space and asylum.
Malta scored 100% in the hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition and civil society space categories.
Its lowest score was a 50% in the intersex bodily integrity category which examines the prohibition of any kind of surgical or medical intervention on an intersex minor before child is able to give informed consent. It additionally considers whether this prohibition is universal to all persons, establishes a monitoring mechanism and provides access to justice for victims and reparations.
In the asylum category, Malta scored 66.67%. This category looks into laws that expressly include SOGISC as a qualification criteria for seeking asylum.
It also considers laws, policies, and measures by state actors addressing the needs and rights of LGBTI asylum seekers and refugees.
Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms Rebecca Buttigieg said that Malta’s consistent first place ranking for ten consecutive years underscores Malta’s commitment to equality, non-discrimination, and human rights. She described it as a momentous achievement as well as a testament to the government’s political will and the continuous efforts of civil society to build a truly equitable and inclusive society.
While celebrating this significant achievement, the parliamentary secretary acknowledged the concerning trends highlighted in the ILGA-Europe report across the continent. She said that Malta stands firm in its commitment to human rights and serves as a beacon, demonstrating that progress is possible and necessary.
The parliamentary secretary also stated that the progress and protection of rights for LGBTIQ+ individuals reflect democracy and fundamental freedom for all.
She went on to say that Malta remains dedicated to work collaboratively with civil society organisations and international partners to champion equality and ensure the rights and dignity of LGBTIQ+ individuals both locally and internationally.
In this context, next week Malta will be hosting the IDAHOT+ Forum and Experts meetings as part of its Council of Europe Presidency where LGBTIQ+ rights and equality will take centre stage and a number of high-profile speakers will be in attendance.
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