Human Rights Council: 45th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Malta

Mr President,

New Zealand welcomes the steps Malta has taken since their last Universal Periodic Review, including to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into national law; to implement legislation to ensure gender equality in political and public decision-making; and to introduce draft legislation to establish a National Human Rights Institution.

New Zealand recommends that Malta:

1. Ensure that asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied minors and children, are given all necessary protection and social support. This includes the continued refurbishment of detention centres and other living quarters;
2. Take all necessary measures to ensure that distress calls from refugees, migrants and asylum seekers at sea are responded to in a timely manner;
3. Remove its reservations to Article 29 (a)(i) and (iii) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and take measures to empower and promote persons with disabilities to participate effectively and fully in political and public life without discrimination and on an equal basis with others; and
4. Fourth and finally, we recommend that Malta decriminalise abortion in all cases.

We thank the delegation for their participation today, and for their consideration of these recommendations.

Thank you Mr President.