The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex
Characteristics (SOGIGESC) Unit within the Human Rights Directorate (MFER) will
be hosting its annual conference, at which the Unit will present the work done
during the last year, in achieving the measures outlined in the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2018-2022,
followed by two panel discussions.
The Conference, entitled On the
Margins: Threats to LGBTIQ Inclusion is to be held during Pride Week on
Thursday, the 16th of September, between 10.00 hrs and 12.30 hrs, through an online
platform.
The conference will be presented in English and having the
participation of both national and international experts. The full agenda can
be accessed here.
Minister Owen Bonnici will open the conference followed by the presentation of the annual report. Two key-note speeches introducing each of the panel discussions
will be presented. The first by Sara Garbagnoli focusing on how to better
respond to the anti-gender movement and the second by Luca Stevenson focusing
on sex work.
Keynote Speaker Bios:
Sara Garbagnoli (She/Her)
Sara Garbagnoli is a sociologist and feminist affiliated to the
Center of Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Paris. She has
already been involved for a long time in research on anti-gender campaigns,
first focusing her attention on the Vatican, then analysing activities and
discourses of far right parties and actors. In 2017, she published the book La
croisade Anti-Genre co-written with Massimo Prearo. Her publications on this
issue include numerous book chapters and articles in journals such as Religion
& Gender, Synergie and Open Democracy.
Luca Stevenson (He/Him)
Luca Stevenson is a male sex worker and coordinator of ICRSE, the
International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe, a network of
more than 100 organisations working with or led by sex workers in Europe and
Central Asia. He leads a multi-disciplinary team which advocates for the rights
of sex workers in diverse policy fields such as health, migration, justice or
anti-trafficking. Luca has worked extensively across Europe with sex workers
from various backgrounds including migrant and LGBTI sex workers. He is also
currently responsible of the mission entitled 'Jasmine', a project of Medecins
du Monde France which aims to address and reduce violence against sex workers.
Other speakers bios can be accessed here.