On 26th September we gave the training to a number of NGOs working in LGBTI issues, on the transposition of EU’s Asylum and Victim’s Rights Directives, as a part of aditus’ Stakeholder Information Sessions project.

During the first part of the training, Neil (our Director) provided basic information on the asylum Directives and explained how they can be applied to LGBTI asylum-seekers.  The Directives identify the standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection.  For a better understanding of different legal statuses, Neil clarified the distinction between a refugee, asylum-seeker and any other migrant.  Together with the representatives from LGBTI-supporting organisations we discussed the criteria and the process of recognition of refugees, which do consider sexual orientation and gender identity as a basis to recognise international protection needs, particularly under the ‘recast’ (new) EU Directives.

In the second part of the training we focused on the Victims’ Rights Directive, which seeks to promote the principle of non-discrimination and sets out minimum rights for victims in criminal proceedings that take place in the EU.  Neil explained the issues of victims’ support and protection from an LGBTI perspective and highlighted the importance of training for police services, officials and lawyers to support them in dealing with LGBTI victims in a respectful, sensitive, professional and non-discriminatory manner.

We all agreed that the proper transposition of the Directives into Maltese legislation is necessary and we will be monitoring the implementation process through advocacy and capacity-building activities.

Big thanks to the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties for offering its premises for the training.