Young Progressive Beings: A New Youth Organisation Has Been Set Up In Malta And They’re Fighting For Change
Ensuring excellent sex education is provided in all schools, access to better sex-health services and free contraceptives and finally decriminalising abortion. These are the first set of demands from Young Progressive Beings; an organisation set up by Maltese youth who want to mobilise social change.
YPB was launched on the 6th of September 2019
Around 100 young artists, musicians, poets and activists gathered at Maori in Valletta to perform, share and discuss. Their official manifesto was read out where they outlined their demands and the reasons behind these demands.
Their first demands stand as so: excellent, holistic and inclusive sex education, more access to sex health services, free contraceptives and free, safe, legal abortion. And they hope to get these demands met by working with the relevant bodies in government and related NGOs.
“Our aim is not to debate – we believe that abortion is healthcare and that reproductive rights are human rights.”
The core group of YPB is currently made up of five young women
It’s no coincidence that the core group is currently made up of just women, however they hope to see this change.
YPB was formed by the people who took part in the pro-choice publicity stunt back in June 2019. The creation of YPB was a collective response to the negative backlash online to young activists- in particular the death threats received by some members of the public, the following lack of action by authorities and the subsequent energy of “we have to do something” shared between them.
“We have a good number of members currently who are men and we hope that our organisation appeals to young people regardless of their gender identities.”
In the greater scheme of things, YPB aims to create a space for young people to voice their ideas, collaborate and get creative on how to create a positive future for Malta, and empower them to realise their influence on this through collective action.
“We fight to collectivise young people and to organise their frustration into channels that can make a difference- political, non-partisan and grass-root action.”
YPB was founded with the understanding that political participation is not only an indispensable facet to civil life and the democratic process, but an invaluable means of connecting people for the greater good; demanding excellence from the government, and ensuring that the government serves us, and not the other way around.
YPB are currently playing an active role in the preparations for Malta’s first pro-choice rally
Together with the Voice for Choice coalition, taking place on the 28th of September.