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EACEA National Policies Platform
Malta

Malta

5. Participation

5.4 Young people's participation in policy-making

Last update: 28 November 2023
On this page
  1. Formal Mechanisms of Consultation
  2. Actors
  3. Information on the extent of youth participation
  4. Outcomes
  5. Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

Formal Mechanisms of Consultation

Young people are represented in a standing committee called Civil Society Committee of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD). The MCESD functions as an advisory council that forms opinions and issues recommendations to the Maltese government on matters of economic and social relevance. As per S.L. 431.01 of the Laws of Malta, the Civil Society Committee must have a youth representative.

Also, since 2014, young people may also avail of a consultation platform hosted by the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality called Public Consultations Online. In this platform legislations, policies, strategies, green papers and white papers are uploaded and become available for public consultation.

 

Consultation with young people also happens on an ad-hoc basis according to issue e.g. during the drafting of the National Youth Policy Towards 2020, the Sexual Health Policy, the National Pensions Reform or the Campaign the Vote 16.

 

Actors

Young people are represented in the Civil Society Committee by the Junior Chamber International Malta.

 

Information on the extent of youth participation

Data on young people’s participation is not collected.

 

Outcomes

The Standing Committee is consulted by MCESD on social matters.

During instances of ad-hoc consultation young people are asked for feedback on the policy to be discussed at that particular time. During the consultation period of the National Youth Policy, apart from having the National Youth Council as part of the Ministerial Advisory Board, feedback was sought from youth organisations through a consultation seminar. During this seminar, workshops were held to represent young people’s  voice.

Through the online platform young people can give feedback on anything that relates to the document that is open for consultation. A detailed report of the outcome is published and made available to the public on the Public Consultations Online.

 

Large-scale initiatives for dialogue or debate between public institutions and young people

Debates are organised by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ in partnership with the Malta Union of Teachers on an ad-hoc basis in secondary schools.

The Faculty of Social Wellbeing organises the Dean's Forum. Through this initiative students and academics discuss and debate on social well-being issues and current events.