The principles of social justice constantly drive the Government’s work in favor of a healthy, just and compassionate society. Over the last few years the Government has intensified this work by launching reforms and new measures to strengthen the country’s social framework and reduce social exclusion. In their majority these were aimed at improving the quality of life of the elderly and young, families with children, pensioners and vulnerable or disabled persons.
“These measures were supported by a social investment that by 2023 reached the sum of €1.3 billion, an increase of almost half a billion euros on the expenditure of 2013. This is a living testimony of work in favor of social justice, and therefore there must be more work in order to continue reaching those who are most vulnerable and who can be lost from the social system of our country”, stated Minister Michael Falzon, during an intervention that he had in Parliament during a Conference on Social Justice.
The Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights notes all the social measures that have continued to make a difference in people’s lives. Chief among them is the increase in pensions. Another strong increase was due to the creation of new benefits, including those of tapering and the In-work Benefit. A new benefit was introduced to meet the challenge of inflation with the additional cost of living mechanism.
There have also been reforms and increases in aid for carers and for people with disabilities. The push for people on social assistance to enter the world of work led to their number falling by 12,000 and the expenditure for people dependent on social benefits dropped by €39 million from €74 million in 2013. The money saved every year was reinvested and with them millions more in various social measures. As a result of this work, a large reduction in the rates of material deprivation and a reduction in the rate of risk of poverty or social exclusion was recorded, with measurements that were even more rigorous.
In carrying out the policy for social protection the Ministry seeks to work side by side with everyone who has the national interest at heart and those voluntary associations in civil society. Evidence of this commitment is the strong increase in the number of partnership agreements with voluntary associations and the amount of money that has been invested for this purpose. The work of the Ministry looks in the long term in favor of a stronger society in the future and for this purpose the Social Vision for Malta until 2035 has been prepared.
Minister Michael Falzon also intends the work on national strategies to continue to address social challenges including also in favor of positive upbringing of children. He stressed that despite the many work done, the Government remains sensitive to social realities and recognizes that it should increase work in favor of the small.
