The editorial entitled ‘A government squabble on gender equality’, which appeared on August 6, states that the recently-published Bill 113 goes against gender equality, decriminalises pornography and that “in addition to sex shops, the Bill provides for the licensing of adult TV channels on broadcasting platform by the Broadcasting Authority as well as the unhindered reception of foreign licensed pornographic channels”.

It must be clarified that is absolutely not correct

There is nothing in the draft law dealing with sex shops or adult TV channels.

For instance, on the latter point, the Broadcasting Authority has already publicly declared that nothing will change from the present situation insofar as its powers are concerned once Bill 113 becomes law.

The Bill proposes to distinguish between various types of pornography by totally banning “extreme pornographic images” and making possession of or trading in such images a criminal offence while stating that other forms of what is normally defined as pornography may only be made available in places where minors are not admitted and where appropriate warning signs are placed at the entrance.

Presenting this initiative as one which goes against women’s rights really misses the point and is unfair. In fact, the chairwoman of the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations (MCWO) has gone on record stating that, after meeting the minister following the publication of the article penned by Kevin Aquilina, which is mentioned by the editorial, it transpired that many of the MCWO’s initial concerns may have been displaced.

We all know that certain magazines traditionally considered to be pornographic were not allowed to be imported into Malta for many years.

Yet, it was common knowledge that there was no way of stopping pornography from reaching the Maltese public after being physically purchased abroad or, for that matter, from being acceded to or even downloaded from the internet.

Traditional controls simply did not work and, in fact, it has now been about 10 years since the Maltese authorities have been allowing the entry and sale in Malta of magazines traditionally considered as pornographic.

Now we are regulating and protecting the vulnerable elements of our society.

Although the approach to issues of morality differs from one country to another, one can still nowadays identify that there is a common European approach to the issue of pornography.

We are therefore adjourning our current laws in line with this European approach.

What Bill 113 is aiming at doing is the finding of a proper balance between artistic expression, the right of adults to access information and the protection of the more vulnerable elements of society.

Needless to say, the government is fully committed to keep working with the relevant organisations, including the hard-working committee of MCWO and people at large, to educate and promote respect for and dignity to women’s rights, which is an absolute priority.