Voice for Choice Submits Feedback on Long-Overdue National Sexual Health Strategy
The Voice for Choice Coalition has submitted its feedback on the proposed National Sexual Health Strategy 2025-2030. The coalition commends the government for finally publishing this long-overdue policy and acknowledges the strategy's commendable aspects, such as its alignment with the WHO's definition of sexual and reproductive health and its rights-based approach. To ensure the strategy translates into meaningful change, Voice for Choice proposes the following recommendations:
Concrete Action Plan: The strategy must include SMART objectives, detailed action plans, clear responsibilities, and secure funding.
Meaningful NGO Involvement: Genuine dialogue and cooperation with NGOs are essential, ensuring they have adequate resources and a seat at the table through a Consultative Council for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (CCSRHR).
Guidelines for Professionals: Clear directives are needed to protect patient confidentiality and ensure healthcare professionals do not misguidedly believe that they are obliged to act as police informants in abortion cases. Comprehensive training on abortion care is also essential.
Addressing Abortion: The government must integrate existing NGO services such as the Family Planning Advisory Services into public healthcare, and provide unbiased support for those facing difficult pregnancy decisions.
Universal Migrant Health: Guarantee access to contraception, preventative medicine, and medical treatment for all migrants, regardless of legal status.
A key concern for the Coalition is that abortion continues to remain criminalised. Despite legal restrictions, women are still seeking and having abortions, often facing significant financial burdens and social stigma. This forces them into secrecy and fear, putting their health and well-being at risk. The coalition criticises the government for acknowledging Malta's evolving needs through the strategy while simultaneously failing to update outdated abortion laws that do not reflect those needs. Voice for Choice argues that this disconnect undermines the strategy's potential and risks rendering it ineffective in addressing this critical public health issue.
Voice for Choice also cautions against the strategy becoming merely a "tick-box exercise" that is quickly forgotten. In the current political climate, with growing anti-rights and anti-gender movements, the coalition stresses the need to stand strong against forces that would like to see this strategy sidelined and forgotten. The coalition urges the government to prioritise a robust, rights-based approach that translates into real improvements in sexual and reproductive health services for all in Malta, ensuring that the strategy leads to tangible positive change.
About Voice for Choice:
Voice for Choice is a coalition of pro-choice campaigning civil society organisations that together advocate and work for reproductive rights and justice in Malta. The organisations are composed of legal, medical, and social professionals, as well as long-standing human rights defenders, academics, experts in related fields, and a diverse mix of activists.
Our Member organisations are:
academics for choice
aditus foundation
Doctors for Choice
Lawyers for Choice
Humanists Malta
Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement
Men Against Violence
Moviment Graffitti
Parents for Choice
Students for Choice
Women’s Rights Foundation
Young Progressive Beings Malta
Contact: info@voiceforchoice.mt
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