Calls to postpone Human Rights Bill grow as NGOs and business bodies seek wider consultation

A growing coalition of civil society organisations and business representatives has called on Parliament to postpone its final vote on Malta's proposed National Commission for Human Rights and Equality Bill, arguing that legislation of such constitutional importance should not be approved without meaningful public consultation.

Malta Parliament House. Photo CC

Pressure mounted on Wednesday after a coalition of 16 human rights organisations urged Equality Minister Rosianne Cutajar and Parliament to delay the vote, saying they had been denied the opportunity to review and comment on the Bill despite years of involvement in shaping earlier versions of the reform.

The organisations, including aditus foundation, the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, JRS Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Repubblika, SOS Malta, our organistion and others, said they were "extremely disappointed" that the proposed legislation had been rushed through Parliament without consultation with the human rights sector.

In a joint statement, the coalition described the Bill as one with the potential to embed human rights protections across all sectors of Maltese society. The organisations said they have contributed expertise to successive drafts of the legislation for more than a decade and would have welcomed the opportunity to provide technical recommendations before Parliament took a final decision.

"We have been working on this Bill's predecessors for over 10 years," the organisations said, adding that they hoped dialogue between Government and Malta's human rights sector would remain possible despite the current disagreement.

The Bill would establish Malta's first National Commission for Human Rights and Equality, replacing the existing National Commission for the Promotion of Equality with a broader mandate to investigate both discrimination and wider human rights violations. It also seeks to strengthen legal protections against discrimination and align Malta's framework more closely with international human rights standards.

However, criticism of the legislative process has now extended beyond the human rights sector.

On Wednesday, the Malta Employers' Association called on both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition to postpone Parliament's final discussion and vote, arguing that the Bill was being fast-tracked without adequate consultation through the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

The association said it supports legislation protecting human rights and equality but believes a stronger law would emerge from a more inclusive consultation process.

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry also appealed for the vote to be delayed. While expressing support for the principles behind the reform, the Chamber said the legislation's broad scope required greater scrutiny and engagement with stakeholders before its approval.

The Opposition has likewise welcomed the objectives of establishing a national human rights institution while expressing reservations about aspects of the Bill, including the level of consultation and safeguards for the commission's independence.

For its part, Government has presented the legislation as a landmark reform that will strengthen Malta's human rights framework. During the Bill's parliamentary presentation last week, Minister Rosianne Cutajar said the new commission would provide broader protection against discrimination, stronger investigative powers and a statutory duty on public authorities to promote equality.

At the time of publication, neither the Minister nor the Ministry had publicly responded to Wednesday's calls from NGOs and other organisations to postpone the parliamentary vote and allow further consultation.

With an increasingly broad coalition of civil society organisations, employers and business representatives now urging a pause, the debate has shifted beyond the substance of the proposed law to the process through which one of Malta's most significant human rights reforms is being enacted.

List of signatory NGOs:

• aditus foundation

• African Media Association Malta

• Checkpoint Malta

• Dance Beyond Borders

• Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation

• Foundation for the Ukrainian Community of Malta

• Humanists Malta

• JRS Malta

• MGRM

• Migrants Commission

• Migrant Women Association Malta

• Moviment Graffitti

• Repubblika

• Richmond Foundation

• SOS Malta

• SPARK 15.