Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541835
ON 3 December, Malta happi- ly joined the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This annual event seeks to foster commitment to a cause the La- bour government has champi- oned. This year's theme, Fostering Disability-inclusive Societies For Advancing Social Progress, is a rallying call we have em- braced since coming to pow- er in 2013. As a nation, we are fully aware of the fact that per- sons with disabilities and their families face challenges and barriers in the attainment of several social development ob- jectives. Disability inclusion in all aspects of social, economic, cultural and political life is im- perative. Budget after budget, we have shown our proven commit- ment to enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities, their families and carers, with the support of State agencies and dedicated voluntary organisa- tions. This was the only way we could make sure persons with disabilities are no longer threat- ened by poverty because of dis- crimination in employment, uneven social protection, and a denial of their dignity and right to autonomy and support. Budget 2026 reaffirms, in more specific terms, the Labour government's pledge with the allocation of a record €68.9 mil- lion to the disability sector. The road to independent liv- ing within the community is being paved with facts, such as the residence in Mary Cart- er Street, Fgura, where three women with disabilities today live independently with the help of Aġenzija Sappport. On my visit there to mark the In- ternational Day of Persons with Disabilities I could witness the newfound quality of life the residents—Maryanne, Yvette u Shania—are enjoying thanks to the collaboration and individual support they receive. No less impressive is the har- monious way they have inte- grated in running their everyday lives through mutual support despite their different interests. Providing persons with dis- abilities the opportunity to maintain independent living, however, is not an end in it- self. We continue to make sure the attainment of an inclusive Maltese society is backed by financial schemes and support services. Suffice to say the ex- penditure on disability benefits has now reached €45.5 million, due to a wider eligibility sys- tem achieved through legal and assessment reforms involving multi-disciplinary panels. The sustained goal of achiev- ing a truly inclusive society where independent living is a priority, is confirmed by yet an- other substantial increase in the amount of financial support to initiatives undertaken by Aġen- zija Sapport—€5.7 million for next year alone. It is no wonder Malta placed second in the Eu- ropean Network on Independ- ent Living's latest annual report. During our visit to the Fgu- ra residence, Aġenzija Sapport Chief Executive Oliver Sciclu- na, rightly referred to the par- ticular needs of every individual with disability and how crucial it is that the dignity of each and every person is upheld. Pro- grammes such as Sharing Lives, My Programme and the Em- powerment scheme, totalling almost €1 million in support, readily come to mind. The Fgura residence serves as an example of how we can make a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities, their families and friends. Every per- son has the right to lead a digni- fied life, making his or her own choices and participating with- in society. Against this emerging reality, government plans include the introduction of personal budg- ets as part of the 2023 reform. The implementation of the Na- tional Strategies for Disability and Autism has, in the mean- time, been maintained at both local and international levels. Access to justice, for example, is a primary reform objective, which we intend to achieve through collaboration with the Justice Ministry, the EU, OECD and Galway University as part of a national dialogue with the judiciary and civil society. Two new crucial laws have been announced: The Personal Autonomy Bill, putting Malta among the leaders in Europe on the issue of supported de- cision-making; and the Protec- tion of Adults in Situations of Vulnerability Bill, which en- sures protection from abuse and the introduction of an of- fenders register. We are also writing a new chapter by focussing on such aspects as identification and training, with the launch of a new national programme on neurodivergence for employers and employees and €250,000 in Erasmus+ funds for the training of persons with disabilities as part of the Train-the-Trainer system and the SkillUP project. This initiative is supported by the AX Foundation. Another quarter of a million euros will go to the ACTIVATE project; the first of its kind in Europe to train autistic young men and women as self-advo- cates. Meanwhile, parliament has approved the registration and warranting of sign language interpreters in another sign of our ongoing commitment to- wards the disability sector. 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 DECEMBER 2025 OPINION Providing persons with disabilities the opportunity to maintain independent living, however, is not an end in itself. We continue to make sure the attainment of an inclusive Maltese society is backed by financial schemes and support services Our commitment to persons with a disability Julia Farrugia Minister for inclusion and the voluntary sector File photo