Minister for Justice and Governance Edward Zammit Lewis participated in the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers held in Lille, under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The discussion focused primarily on three themes; cross-border family situations and the recognition of parenthood between member states, the protection of child victims and child abduction alert systems, and the fight against hatred and cooperation between judicial authorities and digital platforms.
Speaking on the cross-border family situation, Minister Zammit Lewis noted that; “Children’s rights should always be safeguarded. They are and remain the essence of society and of future leadership.” He further highlighted that the exchange of best practices between national authorities could prove useful in this area, adding that this could serve as a stepping-stone to achieve the Union’s main goal, that is, to ensure that children’s rights are truly protected and respected in practice.
Minister Zammit Lewis was also vociferous on the protection of child victims, whereby he noted that; “Every child is priceless. Every child should feel safe and secure. Children should be given essential protection and support.” He further noted that we cannot take the protection of children for granted, and that it is the task of each politician to ensure that their rights are safeguarded. The Minister also highlighted that the Maltese government has sought to fully implement provisions of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Minister Zammit Lewis noted that hate crimes and hate speech know no borders, especially through an increased use of social media and other online platforms. In this respect, he called for a more coordinated response to ensure that victims of hate speech and hate crimes are empowered, supported and their rights are effectively protected. The Minister stressed that; “There is no room for hatred in any society, especially in societies like ours, founded on European values enshrined in the Treaties”.
Photo: MFJG
