Equality for All in Malta was a Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC)-funded project aimed at tackling the issue of underreporting of cases of discrimination based on race and / or ethnic origin and religion or belief. This was a 2-year long project, led by the Ministry for Equality, Research and Innovation, targeting racial, ethnic and religious minority organisations and communities as well as the general public. The project was done in partnership with aditus foundation and the European Network against Racism (ENAR).
The Project was officially launched by the Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation on 29th September 2021 and the following Initiatives were funded through the project:
Training was provided to 120 members of racial, ethnic and religious minorities (who may include victims of discrimination based on race and/or ethnic origin and religion or belief) to empower them to effectively enjoy their rights and the new remedies laid down in the law. Three rounds of training sessions were held in April 2021, September 2021 and February 2022.
Through a round of three training sessions, HRD together with the project partners (aditus foundation and European Network against Racism) provided participants with an overview of Maltese and European equality legislation, advocacy training as well as reporting cases of discrimination to the Equality Body.
The Outreach model of the Equality for All in Malta project focused on a multi-disciplinary approach, with the aim of targeting the grassroots of Maltese society, through local councils, as well as NGOs, migrant communities and religious-belief organisations, to bring them on board in the fight against discrimination. The aim of outreach within the project was to establish and foster mutual understanding, promote participation and involvement of minority groups, and influence behaviours, attitudes, and actions within Maltese society. The Outreach model established by the project team aided in enhancing community awareness, increasing the visibility of the project, as well as engaging new communities and organisations towards a truly equal society.
Outreach to local councils was done with the aim of developing further non-discrimination tools for action at the local level already utilised in a migrant integration setting, who can in turn reach the general resident population. The Local Integration Charter & Action Plan with the added Addendum, which was signed by the Local Councils’ Association on 06 October 2021, aims to respect and promote the principle of equality and non-discrimination, in particular race and/or ethnic origin and religion or belief. The Action plan will enable closer collaboration between the Human Rights Directorate and the Local Councils, and further strengthen relationships.
Addendum to the Local Integration Charter and Action Plan
Outreach towards migrant communities and religious-belief organisations was done to reach untapped individuals. This was done by creating a contact list of interested individuals and providing information during training sessions, as well as acquiring feedback from the communities and organisations during discussions. Establishing and maintaining relationship with participants is essential to tackle issues of underreporting, as well as to address the lack of awareness on the functioning of the Equality body.
NGOs who work with migrant communities are essential in helping to reach out to more individuals and communities who are at risk of discrimination. With this in mind, the project team sought to target multiple stakeholders in society to ensure an as far as possible seamless implementation of the principle, namely: race and ethnic origin minority and religious minority organisations representatives and other community members, the local adult population, civil servants, and migrant organisations/ NGOs.
