Greener and Cleaner Annual Human Rights Report 2015
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Greener and Cleaner Annual Human Rights Report 2015 April 2016 The Platorm of Human Rights Organisatons in Malta (PHROM) presents ‘Greener and Cleaner: Annual Human Rights Report 2015’. Author: Dr Neil Falzon Research Assistant: Lara Farrell Dr. Neil Falzon is Director of the human rights organisaton aditus foundaton. aditus foundaton is one of PHROM’s founding Member Organisatons and is the Secretariat for the Platorm’s Executve Commitee. The Platorm of Human Rights Organisatons in Malta (PHROM) was established in 2014 as a not-for-proft Platorm (VO/0970) gathering NGOs working for the promoton of improved human rights protecton in Malta. PHROM’s mission is to provide a natonal forum for human rights organisatons in Malta to more efectvely develop, promote and advocate for the values of human dignity and equality. At tme of writng, 30 human rights NGOs are PHROM Member Organisatons. Five of these organisatons sit on PHROM’s Executve Commitee. The full Member Organisaton list is provided below. Address: 149, Old Mint Street, Valleta, VLT 1513 Malta Telephone: + 356 2010 6295 Fax: + 356 2010 6296 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.humanrightsplatorm.org.mt The views, opinions and/or fndings contained within this report are those of PHROM itself and, unless otherwise stated, do not necessarily represent or refect the views of all PHROM Member Organisatons. Copyright © Platorm of Human Rights Organisatons in Malta, April 2016. Reproducton is permited, provided that appropriate reference is made to the source. Atempts have been made to make this publicaton as easy to read as possible. Malta Community Chest Fund First Call - Social Projects Projects part-fnanced by Malta Community Chest Fund Co-fnancing rate: 90% MCCF funds. 10% Benefciary’s funds Stepping Up This is PHROM’s second Annual Human Rights Report since its incepton. The report outlines our Member Organisatons’ main perceptons and expectatons in the human rights feld for the year 2015. It is interestng to note that the concept of good governance features as a main human rights concern. The concept of good governance entails respect for the rule of law, stakeholder partcipaton, mult-agency cooperaton, transparency and accountability, access to informaton, absence of discriminaton and sustainable development. The NGO sector is a key player in the fulflment of these objectves in so far as it is the main advocate in this regard, and also acts as a watchdog on Government. Government, on the other hand, is the main player and must ensure transparency, responsibility, accountability, partcipaton and responsiveness; whilst the media can play an invaluable role in putng a spotlight on issues requiring atenton. It is clear therefore, that the fndings of this 2015 Annual Human Rights Report are calling upon us all to step up in our work, in order to move away from a charitable approach and replace it with a rights-based approach to social and economic development. I invite all key players to use this report, and partcularly its structured recommendatons, as a tool to achieve these objectves. Dr. Roberta Lepre PHROM Executve Commitee Chairperson 4 Greener and Cleaner Table of Contents Stepping Up (Foreword) ..........................................................................................3 Table of Contents ....................................................................................................4 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................6 Abbreviatons .........................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 9 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 11 General Note ........................................................................................................ 11 2015 Methodology ...............................................................................................13 Member Organisatons Input .......................................................................... 13 Desk Research .................................................................................................14 Member Organisatons’ 2015 Priorites .......................................................... 14 2015 Innovatons .................................................................................................. 17 Focus on Two Themes .....................................................................................18 Structured Recommendatons ........................................................................ 18 SUMMARY OF 2014 AHRR ................................................................................. 21 HUMAN RIGHTS IN 2015 .................................................................................... 23 Major Developments ............................................................................................23 Observatons ................................................................................................... 31 Human Rights Gaps .............................................................................................. 33 Thematc Focus .....................................................................................................35 Relatonship with Government ....................................................................... 35 Expressions of ‘hatred’ .................................................................................... 38 CASE STUDIES ..................................................................................................... 41 Case Study #1: Troupe 18:45 – Ħolqa European Theatre Festval for Students ....42 Case Study #2: PRISMS – Mind It: Discovering the link between self-identty, mental health and the media ............................................................................... 43 Case Study #3: Integra Foundaton - Stejjer Imfewħa (Fragrant Stories) ...............45 Annual Human Rights Report 2016 5 STRUCTURED RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................ 47 ANNEXES ............................................................................................................. 49 Annex I – Human Rights Legal Instruments ........................................................ 49 Internatonal ................................................................................................... 49 Signed but not ratfed by Malta .....................................................................54 Regional (Council of Europe) ...........................................................................54 Signed but not ratfed by Malta ..................................................................... 55 Annex II – Member Organisaton Questonnaire ................................................56 6 Greener and Cleaner Acknowledgements The completon of this Annual Human Rights Report would not have been possible without the partcipaton and valid contributon of PHROM’s Member Organisatons. aditus foundaton (Sec.) African Media Associaton Malta Amputees4Amputees Breaking Limits Deaf People Associaton (Malta) Din l-Art Ħelwa (EC) DRACHMA Fondazzjoni Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl Foundaton for Support and Shelter to Migrants Gender Liberaton Inspire Foundaton Integra Foundaton Jesuit Refugee Service KSU Libya Foundaton for Rehabilitaton Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (EC) Malta Humanist Associaton Migrant Women Associaton Malta Natonal Foster Care Associaton and Gender Liberaton. Organisaton for Friendship in Diversity PRISMS Richmond Foundaton (EC) SOS Malta Troupe 18:45 UpBeat Music House Victm Support Malta (EC) We Are Why Not? Women’s Rights Foundaton YMCA Homeless Annual Human Rights Report 2016 7 ABBREVIATIONS PHROM Annual Human Rights Report ........................................................................ AHRR Council of Europe ......................................................................................................... COE Conventon on the Rights of the Child ............................................................................CRC European Conventon for the Protecton of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ..ECHR European Union ................................................................................................................EU Gender Identty, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristcs Act ............................ GIGESC Human Rights and Integraton Directorate (MSDC) ..................................................... HRID Human Rights and Equality Commission ......................................................................HREC Natonal Commission Persons with Disability ............................................................. KNPD Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer ......................................................... LGBTIQ European Union Member State ....................................................................................... MS Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity ............................................................... MFSS Ministry for Foreign Afairs ...........................................................................................MFA Ministry for Gozo ........................................................................................................MGOZ Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Afairs and Civil Libertes ............................