Integration and Anti-Racism Unit

The Integration and Anti-Racism Unit provides its support so that every person, regardless of their national and/or ethnical background, can enjoy their fundamental human rights in Malta. This is achieved through the work of the Directorate and its partners to foster inclusive integration and effective anti-racism.
To support its mandate, the Unit coordinates the national Integration Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2030) and the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR) (2025-2030).

The Unit also operates the ‘I Belong’ Programme: the national integration programme. The courses fulfil in part the requirements for Long-Term Residence Status in Malta.
The Unit is in its initial phase for Malta to establish the first National Integration Support Centre (NISC) serving as a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” to offer integrated services crucial for migrant integration.
The Unit’s initiatives are also supported by the project ‘Supporting Pre-Integration Governance’ (SPRING) funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIGESC) Unit 

The SOGIGESC Unit leads government policy on LGBTIQ+ equality, working to ensure that the principles of inclusion, dignity, and respect are mainstreamed across all sectors of society.
Through strategic collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders, the Unit advances initiatives that address key areas such as education, health, the elderly, disability, asylum, policing, the public sector, the media as well as efforts to promote LGBTIQ+ equality around the world.
The SOGIGESC Unit is responsible for the implementation of the LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy and Action Plan (2023–2027), reaffirming the Human Rights Directorate’s commitment to reaching all individuals—especially those at the margins of society.
By sharing Malta’s good practices in LGBTIQ+ inclusion, the Directorate aims to inspire and support global progress toward equality and human rights for all.

Gender Mainstreaming Unit (Gender Equality)

The Gender Mainstreaming Unit serves as the central coordinating body for the design and implementation of policies and programmes aimed at promoting gender equality and mainstreaming gender perspectives across all levels of governance.
This Unit proactively addresses the challenges faced by women and gender minorities, ensuring that gender considerations are not an afterthought, but a fundamental part of public policy.
The Unit leads the implementation of the first national framework on gender equality, the Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan (GEMSAP) (2022–2027). This Action Plan seeks to identify and dismantle gender-based barriers, strengthen gender perspectives at all stages of policymaking and foster systemic change towards a more equal and inclusive society.
The Unit remains firmly committed to building a society where women, men, girls, and boys—in all their diversity —are equal and free from violence and discrimination based on gender.

Anti-Human Trafficking Unit

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit leads the coordination of national efforts to combat human trafficking through a multi-agency, stakeholder-driven approach. By fostering strong collaboration across government entities and civil society, the Unit ensures a unified and effective response to this complex human rights issue.
In 2024, Malta’s first National Strategy and Action Plan on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2024–2030) was launched. Anchored in the internationally recognised 4Ps framework—Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnership—the Strategy adopts a human rights-based, gender-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral approach.
The overarching goal is to build a sustainable system that enables:

• Early identification of victims
• Timely and effective protection
• Access to justice
• Appropriate compensation for both moral and material damages