Speaking Speaking during the launching of Enhancing Equal Rights – an EU co-funded project on equal rights – Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, Dr Helena Dalli, said that it is of concern that most cases of discrimination go unreported.

Minister Dalli was quoting local and European research on different forms of discrimination in Malta and in Europe. Studies show prevalence of discrimination at the workplace and elsewhere, especially as regards to people from different ethnic origin, gays and transgender people.

Dr Dalli said that society should combat discrimination through more education and training.

Minister Dalli referred to her visit in The Hague last week, where she took part in a ministerial meeting during which a number of EU ministers signed a joint call to the European Commission to adopt a comprehensive policy approach at European level to fight discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Dr Dalli said that as part of this meeting she visited a secondary school where Dutch students and their educators give attention to and celebrate diversity at school and in life in general. Dr Dalli said that secondary school students in The Netherlands are inspired to discuss and talk about diversity and the respect for human rights.

Minister Dalli said that the Enhancing Equal Rights project will address discrimination through training – internal training for NCPE employees on all grounds within the Commission’s remit – and training to public and private sector employees on Diversity Management.

The NCPE’s Executive Director Dr Romina Bartolo referred to the extension of NCPE’s remit in 2012 to cover sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and belief, age as well as race and ethnic origin, besides sex and family responsibilities in employment, financial services and educational and vocational training.

Dr Bartolo explained that to facilitate and accelerate the implementation phase of the said remit extension, it was necessary to strengthen internal knowlege capacity through this new project. Moreover, Dr Bartolo highlighted that it is necessary to empower stakeholders through training.

NCPE’s Manager, Ms. Therese Spiteri, in an overview presentation on this new project, said that Enhancing Equal Rights targets the general public, enterprises, trade unions and NGOs, national and local authorities, teachers, young people and children. Training will be carried out also on diversity management with employers.

A pilot study will also be carried out on equality and non-discrimination developing training modules for primary and secondary school children. The purpose will be to assess impact and effectiveness of training methods, as well as the level of content necessary per age group. Once again through an anti-racism theme day will be carried out marking this as a yearly event to raise awareness.

Furthermore, a non-discrimination campaign will be launched later on this year, which will be aimed to further empower and provide a space to citizens to have their say.

The Enhancing Equal Rights project is being co-financed by the PROGRESS funds of the European Union, and will be managed by the NCPE. This project will span over a year. Through this project, NCPE aims to facilitate and accelerate the implementation phase of its newly extended remit by strengthening the necessary internal knowledge capacity, raising awareness on equality and non-discrimination, and by empowering stakeholders through training.

More information on this project can be obtained from the NCPE by calling on 2590 3850 or by sending an email to equality@gov.mt.

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