Surrogacy, contraceptives, weed and divorce. The Labour Party’s women assembly’s proposals are progressive and open, precisely like the title-theme of their annual general meeting.

Their newest proposals include revising ratified laws as well as introducing some new ones.

Here are their proposals:

Nisa Labursita’s most controversial proposal is arguably for surrogacy to be discussed on a national level ahead of its eventual introduction. A debate on surrogacy made it to Parliament. However, a massive protest and petition changed the government’s plans.

On reproductive issues, more financial assistance is needed to make birth control more accessible, especially for young people, they added.

“In a country where abortion isn’t legal, it is crucial that methods to prevent pregnancy are as accessible as possible for everyone, they argued, adding that informative campaigns to reduce stigma on those using them.

Prostitution laws, which is a hot issue in Parliament, is also on Nisa Laburista’s agenda.

They called for loitering sanctions for sex workers to be abolished and more focus on clamping down trafficking. They also proposed an educational campaign and appropriate help for those suffering from sexual exploitation.

When it comes to divorce, which was legalised in 2011, Nisa Laburista said it must be revised to reflect the state of Maltese society better.

More specifically, the timeframe in which a couple can apply for divorce, which currently stands at four years should be shortened.

Flexible work options, which was rolled out on a national level for the first time due to the COVID-19 lockdown, was discussed too.

“The flexibility of how we worked during the pandemic didn’t only keep us afloat economically but also proved that there can be a balance between life, work and flexibility to allow more women in the workforce,” it said.

It also pushed for Labour’s youth faction’s proposal to legalise cannabis for recreational use “without stigma, penalties or bureaucracy”.

The proposals will now be presented to the Labour Party and the government. With the latest AGM yielding major proposals, this initiative by Nisa Laburista is showing competitors how to bring women on board.

What do you think of the proposals? Comment below