Three specific rights of persons with disabilities arising from the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities were discussed during a Gozo Round Table Conference organised by the Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability (MFOPD).

The Conference is part of a programme of activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the MFOPD.

The specific rights discussed were the right to live independently and be included in the community (Article 19); the right to education (Article 24) and the right to work and employment (Article 27).

The conference was addressed by among others, the Minister for Inclusion, Volunteering and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli who made the closing speech.

Minister Farrugia Portelli said that the work on rights has been going on for two years and included discussions with the MFOPD and its members so that now there is a strong basis for these rights particularly through the Act on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“We also saw that there would be a practical element for the rights that were given the force of law. This was done through the National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which was adopted last year,” said Minister Farrugia Portelli.

She extracted points from the strategy that list how the rights that were discussed during the conference will be enjoyed. She concluded by saying that in the spirit of both the strategy and the convention, it is important that, as was done through the conference, to raise awareness about the rights of people with disabilities.

The Minister emphasised that it is then more important that we all pull together so that rights do not remain only on paper but become part of the reality of everyday life for all disabled people.

Minister Farrugia Portelli stressed that this government fully believes in disabled people, and that disabled people should be given all the necessary tools to have an independent life in the community. “This budget will be sending a strong message in favour of the Personal Assistant. Through this concept, more disabled people will be able to live independently in the community.”

The conference was also addressed by Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri who said that “the sector of people with disabilities was, still is and will remain in the heart of this government, and during the last years they have benefited from a number of initiatives, and in Gozo no less, where wise investment is being made in this sector.”

The opening speech of the conference was made by MFOPD President Marthese Mugliette. She said that the intention of this activity is to raise awareness of the convention and to be a point of dialogue between people coming from various places in Malta and Gozo.

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