The process of integrating migrants in Malta is hindered because no ministry assumes overall responsibility for it, according a study.
There was no national integration policy, with integration measures and subsequent monitoring being “sparse”, “fragmented” or “limited to ad hoc projects”, the research found.
The report, released yesterday as part of the project for Assessing Integration Measures for Vulnerable Migrant Groups, was compiled by The People for Change Foundation. Funded by the European Commission, it addresses integration management for vulnerable migrant groups in 10 EU member states.
The review of the situation in Malta revealed that a number of ministries indirectly assume responsibility for integration according to the aspects that fall within their specific portfolio.
However, the lack of overall “ownership” of the management process, together with “sparse legislation and policy in place” meant that monitoring and evaluation practices were also limited.
“In 2013, the Minister for Social Dialogue [Helena Dalli] expressed a commitment and intention to develop an immigrant integration policy. While this political will was welcomed by a number of relevant stakeholders, at the time of writing, no such national policy had yet been developed, and thus no official definitions of integration are currently in place on a national level,” said the report.
Most stakeholders involved in the field of integration, such as NGOs, told the researchers that their resources were limited.
“With such restrictions placed upon this work, monitoring and evaluation is often given less priority, in order for efforts to be concentrated on delivering and implementing integration measures in the first place,” said the report.
It put forward recommendations to fill in the “gaps and lacunae” in the existing situation.
A policy should include concrete targets and monitoring mechanisms
First of all, an integrationpolicy at a national level has to be developed, adopted and implemented.
“Such a policy should include concrete targets and monitoring mechanisms to track the progress towards, and achievement of, the policy’s objectives.”
Secondly, specific goals should be put in place for potentially vulnerable groups such as women, children and trafficked persons, as well as LGBTI individuals, people with disabilities and the elderly.
The report also suggests specific resources should be allocated to monitor and evaluate integration measures to ensure that lessons are learnt from projects and initiatives.
Gaps in data collection should be addressed, including further disaggregation of existing data in some areas to distinguish between EU and non-EU citizens.
The report encourages NGOs to continue to examine national and EU developments in the field of integration, putting forward recommendations to the Maltese authorities for the development, implementation and monitoring of integration measures.