A set of legislative proposals were yesterday put forward by the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs, and Civil Liberties as part of efforts by the government to refine existing laws on domestic violence.
Malta ratified the Istanbul Convention - a legally binding treaty that criminalises violence against women – in 2014, along with 13 other countries. By proposing the legislative reform, Malta would be a step closer to conforming to the convention, the ministry said.
The announcement of the proposals was part of events held to mark International Women’s Day, celebrated yesterday.
Among the proposals, the ministry is suggesting that the role of the Commission on Domestic Violence be strengthened.
The Commission advises the minister on how to combat domestic violence, recommends policy amendments, suggests areas for research and identifies training for professional groups.
Legal provisions on violence which were currently in place would also have to be reviewed to make sure that violence based on gender was adequately addressed, the ministry said.
The importance of having a legal framework that allowed the police to take necessary action against an aggressor without the need of a report from the victim would also be part of the suggested reform.
We need to make sure women are given all the protection possible so that we reduce the effects of this social scourge
Having such a framework in place would assure that cases of violence were tackled in a more serious manner, the ministry said.
The Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – more commonly known as the Istanbul Convention – binds governments to adopt policies that classify any form of violence against women as a violation of human rights.
Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said Malta was at the forefront of the convention, being one of the first countries to ratify it. The minister said that, by bringing forward these proposals, the government was once again committing to improving the existing laws.
“We need to make sure that women are given all the protection possible so that we reduce the effects of this social scourge,” Dr Dalli said.
In the past three years, the government introduced measures to ensure economic independence for women, the minister said, adding that recent data on the number of women working outside the home were proof that the government’s efforts were yielding positive results.