12/09/2025 Equality and Non-Discrimination | LGBTI
A parliamentary conference on ensuring equality for rainbow families in Europe is to take place in Malta on Friday 12 September 2025.
The conference – held in the context of Malta Pride – aims to build momentum for changes in law and policy so that all families, regardless of their composition, are treated equally across the 46 member states of the Council of Europe.
“Families come in many forms, but sadly not all families are treated equally under the law,” said PACE General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI persons Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo (Monaco, ALDE), speaking ahead of the conference. “For many rainbow families, cross-border recognition, access to services, legal parenthood and basic protections are still lacking, even in 2025. This must change.”
Legal experts participating in the conference will set out the situation for rainbow families in international law – including the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights – and compare how laws across Europe affect their daily lives, drawing on positive examples.
Experts from Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Italy, Malta and Poland will reflect on the situation in their countries. Parliamentarians raised in or parenting as part of rainbow families are also due to participate.
The event is due to be opened by the Deputy Speaker of Malta’s House of Representatives the Hon. David Agius, and will also hear from former EU Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli, among others.
The conference is organised by the Parliamentary Platform for the rights of LGBTI persons in Europe, the Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Maltese Delegation to PACE, under the auspices of Malta’s Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.
Conference web page
Programme
Concept note
Practical information
The conference takes place on 12 September 2025 from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Corinthia Palace Hotel (De Paule Avenue, San Anton, BZN9023, Malta) and is open to the press. It can also be followed live on Zoom here, and a video recording of the full conference will be posted as soon as possible after it ends on the Assembly’s YouTube channel.