After long discussion, the age of sexual consent is lowered to 16

The age of consent was officially lowered to 16 on Wednesday in a move that was welcomed by the National Youth Council. Parliament on Wednesday gave the third reading to the Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence Bill, which includes an amendment lowering the age of consent. It now only needs the President's signature to become law. The council said Malta was bringing the age of consent to the same level as most other EU countries. It urged the government to launch an educational campaign among young people, including education on self-testing and contraceptives, and facilitate access to medical services. It also called for improved sexual health clinics, including the setting up of such a clinic in Gozo.  A long process The process to lower the age of consent has been a long one. Then Nationalist MP Franco Debono called for a lowering of the age of consent in a speech in parliament in 2010. The youth council made recommendations for lowering the age of consent in 2015. In May 2015, a joint meeting of Parliament’s standing committees on health, social affairs and family affairs heard arguments that lowering the age of consent to sexual activities from 18 to 16 would not...