LGBTIQ+ Regional Strategy for Gozo
LGBTI+ Gozo with the support of the Human Rights Directorate and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Equality and Reforms has developed this Regional Strategy to identify the strengths and weaknesses within Gozitan society when it comes to LGBTQIA+ identities. The goal of this strategy is to determine levels of acceptance within the wider social landscape, to identify needs, gaps, and prevalent issues to streamline LGBTI+ Gozo’s services over the next 3 years to ensure inclusion and equality for all Gozitans. This strategy should also serve wider stakeholders in Gozo to better understand determinant factors in Gozo which help or hinder inclusivity across intersections. Therefore, this Regional Strategy sets out to identify the needs of the community and present recommendations that will support equality for LGBTQIA+ persons living in Gozo.
Research Design
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Quantitative Data: A research survey was created and disseminated to the public, containing questions on demographics, attitudes/perceptions, challenges/barriers, effectiveness of policy, community needs/services, and services specific to LGBTI+ Gozo.
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Qualitative Data: Focus-groups and interviews with professionals in health, legal, and education sectors were held to discern the needs of the community from the professional perspective, and identify gaps within society and policy that can be addressed in order to sustain inclusivity and equitable services for LGBTQIA+ people in Gozo.
130 individuals contributed to the research survey which was available through a Google Form. They included persons who do and do not identify as LGBTQIA+ and persons who live in Gozo and Malta and abroad.
15 professionals across sectors contributed to this strategy. One focus group was held bringing together six practitioners from the health, education, youth work, sexual health, policy and legal sectors. Nine semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with professionals in the health, education, and legal sectors: three from healthcare, four from the legal sector, and two from the education sector.
Qualitative Research
Attitudes & Perceptions
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Gozo is perceived as “closed but evolving,” with progressive laws but cautious social attitudes.
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Younger generations are generally more open-minded, while older generations tend to hold more conservative views.
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Participants highlighted a gap between tolerance and genuine acceptance of LGBTQIA+ individuals.
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Same-sex parenting and intersectionality remain sensitive or poorly understood topics.
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Social stigma and fear of judgement persist, particularly due to Gozo’s close-knit community culture.
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Religion continues to influence attitudes, but faith leaders are also seen as potential agents of positive change.
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Visibility anxiety is common, with many individuals fearing exposure or gossip.
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Inclusion is viewed as most effective when normalised in everyday culture rather than treated as a separate issue.
Key Challenges & Barriers
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Privacy concerns and fear of exposure are major barriers to accessing services and support.
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Many individuals seek support outside Gozo to maintain anonymity.
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Existing policies are often inconsistently applied, depending on individual educators or professionals.
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Professionals across sectors report a lack of updated training and practical tools for inclusion.
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Knowledge gaps remain around sexual health, gender identity, and inclusive communication.
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Students and adults often remain silent about their identities due to fear of stigma or professional consequences.
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Language challenges, including the use of inclusive pronouns, create hesitation and uncertainty among professionals.
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Participants stressed the need for simple, ongoing, practical training rather than one-off sessions.
Community Needs & Service Gaps
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Participants support universal inclusion frameworks that address all minority groups collaboratively.
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There is a strong need for Gozo-specific demographic research and data collection.
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Communities prioritise low-threshold, non-clinical, and non-labelled spaces that encourage belonging.
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Suggested initiatives include café-style drop-ins, anonymous support options, and youth-friendly wellbeing hubs.
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Better access to sexual health services, including PEP/PrEP availability in Gozo, was strongly recommended.
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Participants identified a need for specialised counselling services, particularly for addiction, chemsex, and mental health support.
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Arts, music, drama, and cultural activities are seen as effective tools for building empathy and inclusion.
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Visible local role models and allies are considered essential for normalising LGBTQIA+ inclusion in Gozo.
Policy & Implementation
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Malta’s LGBTQIA+ legal framework is widely praised, but implementation is seen as inconsistent and unclear.
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Participants identified a significant gap between policy creation and public understanding.
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Many initiatives are perceived as symbolic or “tick-box exercises” without meaningful daily impact.
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Participants questioned the visibility and effectiveness of anti-bullying and hate-speech enforcement mechanisms.
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Community ownership and grassroots engagement are viewed as critical for long-term change.
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Administrative systems and forms often lack inclusive language and gender options.
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Under-reporting of discrimination, harassment, and assault remains a major concern.
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Participants called for clearer reporting systems, referral pathways, and Gozo-specific monitoring indicators.
Recommendations
1. Normalise inclusion in everyday systems
2. Prioritise emotional education and empathy
3. Make training practical, staged, and ongoing
4. Strengthen privacy, trust, and enforcement
5. Ensure health equity between islands
6. Foster cross-sector collaboration and faith engagement
7. Balance visibility and safety
Quantitative Research
Residence
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47.7% live in Malta
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46.2% live in Gozo
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6.2% live abroad
Age
Sexual Orientation
22.3% aged 30 or younger
18.5% aged 31–40
25.4% aged 41–50
22.3% aged 51–60
11.5% aged 61+
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45.4% Gay/Lesbian
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28.5% Heterosexual
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15.4% Bisexual/Pansexual
24.6% of respondents (1 in 4) had personally experienced or witness discrimination, harassment, or violence in Gozo because of their identity/orientation
Gender Identity
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46.2% Cisgender female
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40.8% Cisgender male
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6.9% Transgender/non-binary/gender fluid
47.7% of responders felt that there was NOT adequate representation of LGBTIQ+ identities in public life in Gozo
Is Gozo Accepting?
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30.8% say Gozo is accepting
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44.6% say somewhat
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12.3% say not accepting
Have Attitudes Improved in the Last 5 Years?
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60% say Yes
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4.6% say No
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35.4% say Unsure
Attitudes in Gozo Compared to Malta?
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61.5% More/somewhat negative
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33.1% About the same
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6.9% More positive
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Educational Programmes
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Support from Religious and Government Leaders
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LGBTIQ+ Representation in Media
Actions to Support an Accepting Mentality in Gozo
Only 16.2% of responders felt that Malta's robust legal policies reflect the mentality of Gozitan society
62.1% of responders aged 30 years or less reported factors preventing them from being open about their sexual orientation or gender identity. 50% of Gozitans reported similarly.
Service Needs
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Mental Health Support (77.7%)
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Social Spaces (76.2%)
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Tailored Health Care (60.8%)
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Education and Awareness (60%)
Main Findings Across Data Sets
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Socially conservative landscape with surface level openness.
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LGBTIQ+ Psychosocial services which ensure confidentiality and anonymity are needed.
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Education, visibility, and awareness-raising must be conscious of Gozitan realities.
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Inclusive legislation is incongruent with lived realities and perceptions of access.
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Safe spaces, community belonging, and Pride integrate and normalise LGBTIQ+ realities.
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Growing sense of positive change, which gender diversity remains contested.
Recommendations
1. A Shared Vision Rooted in Humanity and Belonging
Across all research findings, one message emerged clearly: inclusion in Gozo must be grounded in empathy, dignity, and coexistence. Rather than framing LGBTQIA+ inclusion as a political issue, participants consistently advocated for a human-values approach that reflects the strong cultural importance of family, community, and mutual respect within Gozitan society. Successful inclusion efforts should therefore:
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Promote shared humanity and compassion
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Respect Gozo’s social pace and cultural sensitivities
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Embed LGBTQIA+ inclusion within broader equality and wellbeing frameworks
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Encourage local ownership through schools, parishes, councils, NGOs, and cultural organisations
2. Education and Cultural Change
Education was identified as the most important long-term driver of inclusion. Participants emphasised that awareness must begin early and continue across all stages of life through learning environments that encourage empathy, emotional literacy, and respectful dialogue. Key actions include:
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Embedding diversity, emotional wellbeing, and respectful communication into school curricula
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Introducing a staged training model — Awareness → Competence → Responsiveness — across education, healthcare, public administration, and justice sectors
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Using reflective and discussion-based learning formats that allow room for questions, growth, and error-repair
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Framing inclusion training within broader wellbeing and human development initiatives
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Encouraging media literacy and critical thinking among young people to challenge stereotypes
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Supporting parents and faith leaders through informal workshops and dialogue sessions rooted in shared moral values
3. Collaboration and Community Governance
The findings strongly support a coordinated, cross-sector approach involving government entities, schools, healthcare providers, NGOs, religious institutions, and community organisations. Recommendations
include:
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Establishing a Cross-Sector Inclusion Taskforce for Gozo
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Formalising partnerships between institutions and LGBTQIA+ organisations
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Developing annual collaborative wellbeing, arts, and cultural projects
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Creating shared accountability systems and public reporting mechanisms
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Introducing inclusion indicators and participation metrics into governance structures
4. Mental Health and Support Services
Mental health, confidentiality, and access to support services emerged as urgent priorities. Many participants highlighted the importance of safe, trusted, and locally accessible care. Key recommendations include:
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Creating a panel of LGBTQIA+-competent therapists offering both in-person and telehealth support
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Providing subsidised and short-term intervention services
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Integrating trauma-informed care into professional training
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Expanding professionally supervised peer-support and community-led support groups
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Improving healthcare parity with Malta through access to PrEP, PEP, HIV continuity care, gender-affirming services, and free Hepatitis B vaccination
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Launching public campaigns that normalise help-seeking and reduce stigma around mental health
5. Visibility, Representation, and Public Life
Participants emphasised the importance of balanced visibility — creating belonging through everyday representation rather than visibility based solely on activism. Recommendations include:
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Continuing Pride celebrations while expanding family-friendly and mainstream community events
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Launching campaigns such as Live in Gozo featuring local LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies in everyday settings
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Increasing inclusive representation through local media partnerships
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Highlighting local role models and lived experiences
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Ensuring visibility includes diverse identities across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, including trans, non-binary, bi, pansexual, and asexual individuals
6. Faith, Family, and Community Dialogue
Faith and family were recognised as both potential barriers and powerful bridges for inclusion. Because religious and community leaders hold significant influence within Gozitan society, constructive engagement is essential.
Suggested actions include:
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Creating confidential learning groups for clergy and lay leaders focused on empathy, pastoral care, and harm reduction
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Encouraging inclusive public gestures during events such as Pride and IDAHOBIT
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Supporting intergenerational and interfaith dialogue through shared meals, cultural activities, and community discussions
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Framing diversity using language centred on compassion, dignity, and care
7. Inclusive Language and Institutional Practice
Language plays both a symbolic and practical role in creating inclusive environments. Participants highlighted the need for institutions to adopt respectful, accessible, and evolving communication practices.
Recommendations include:
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Updating official forms and administrative systems to include gender-neutral options where appropriate
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Providing accessible guidance on legal processes such as name and gender changes
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Publishing inclusive-language guides for educators, healthcare professionals, and service providers
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Embedding micro-learning on respectful communication into professional development programmes
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Normalising pronoun use and supportive feedback practices that reduce fear around making mistakes
8. Policy Awareness and Accountability
Although Malta has a strong legal framework for LGBTQIA+ rights, participants noted gaps in local awareness, implementation, and accountability. Key recommendations include:
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Producing Gozo-specific educational resources explaining rights, reporting pathways, and equality procedures
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Providing multilingual and confidential reporting support across NGOs, police, and public institutions
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Introducing workplace equality standards for employers
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Embedding equality training into public-service induction and ongoing training
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Publishing transparent annual progress reviews and accountability dashboards
9. Safe Spaces and Everyday Belonging
Belonging emerged as one of the most important themes across all research findings. Participants consistently stressed the need for safe, welcoming, and discreet social environments where people can participate without fear of judgement. Recommendations include:
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Developing a hybrid network of safe spaces through one central hub and rotating village-based events
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Publishing a Gozo safe-spaces map and distributing practical inclusion guidelines for local venues
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Providing visible signs of acceptance, such as Rainbow Flag participation initiatives
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Organising “de-labelled” social activities such as walks, book discussions, and creative workshops that encourage organic participation
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Supporting community-led support groups for parents, siblings, trans individuals, and other LGBTQIA+ groups
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Facilitating village-level dialogue initiatives that foster understanding between LGBTQIA+ and non-LGBTQIA+ residents
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Continuing local social media campaigns promoting allyship and safety
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Ensuring initiatives are inclusive across age groups, including older LGBTQIA+ residents who may face increased isolation
10. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Sustainability
To ensure long-term impact, inclusion efforts must be measurable, transparent, and community-led.
Recommendations include:
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Establishing an annual LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Barometer for Gozo
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Creating a Community Advisory Board representing diverse identities and stakeholder groups
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Publishing annual dashboards tracking acceptance, service access, participation, and discrimination trends
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Integrating inclusion indicators into school, council, and institutional reporting systems
This ensures that inclusion becomes an ongoing process of learning, accountability, and continuous improvement rather than a one-time initiative.