Malta is a parliamentary, democratic republic whose President, as head of state, is appointed by the unicameral Parliament. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and is the leader of the party with a majority of seats in Parliament. Periodic elections on the basis of universal suffrage have been deemed free and fair. There are 6 women in the 65-seat Parliament and 2 women in the 14-member Cabinet. Some 13% of senior government officials are women. No minorities are represented in government.

Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, disability, language or social status is prohibited, and the prohibition is enforced.

The judiciary is independent. Neither corruption nor impunity is reported as a problem. An access to information law has not been enacted, and at government discretion some information is released to the press and the public.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed and respected. An interview with a candidate for the European Parliament led to charges of inciting racial hatred. The media express a variety of views without restriction, and international media operate freely. Internet access is not restricted. Reports show the country is a destination for persons trafficked for prostitution. Funding is not provided to assist victims of trafficking.

Free, compulsory, and universal education is provided to all children to age 16. 95% of school age children attend school, and 70% go on to postsecondary education. The government and the Catholic Church contribute to a foundation that finances Catholic schools. Religious instruction in the Catholic faith is available in public schools, though students may opt out of religious instruction.

A 2-year programme begins at age 3. At this level 38% of education is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 87%.

Education is compulsory for ages 5 to 15. Primary school begins at age 5 and continues for 6 years. At this level 37% of education is private. The NER is 94% (48% female). Of students who enrol in Grade 1, 99% reach the last grade of primary school. 2% of students repeat grades. There are 1,745 primary teachers (85% female). The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 18 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 11 and is completed in 7 years. At this level 28% of education is private. 1% of students in lower secondary and 24% in upper secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The NER is 86%. There are 3,840 secondary teachers, 2,998 (59% female) in lower secondary and 842 (31% female) in upper secondary education. The PTR is 10 : 1 in lower secondary and 10 : 1 in upper secondary education.

8,946 students (57% female) study in tertiary institutions, giving a Gross Enrolment Rate of 30%. At the same time 731 Maltese students study abroad, mainly in the UK (476), Germany (50), Spain (44), Italy (39) and the USA (30).

Discrimination against persons with disabilities is prohibited in education and in other state services. A Special Education Unit within the Ministry of Education provides a range of services that includes counselling, home service for chronically ill and for hearing-impaired children, and special schools for children with mild or severe learning disabilities, hearing impairment, emotional disability and visual impairment. Support services in regular schools consist mainly of teachers for students who are deaf or blind and kindergarten assistants to assist teachers who have a child with a disability in their class.

Remedial services are provided in primary schools for children with minimal literacy skills in academic subjects as is an educational service for children who are hospitalised.

The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status to persons in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. The period of detention for asylum-seekers has been cut to 1 year. Children, pregnant women and elderly immigrants are housed in "open centres," where they have freedom of movement.

Refugee children in Maltese primary schools are reported to encounter various problems that hinder them from achieving fully at school, such as language problems, financial difficulties, cultural barriers and traumas from harmful experiences. Teachers are aware of the difficulties but require both training in teaching refugee children and time to plan and prepare for them. Language barriers sometimes impede communication with parents.

Persons of Arab, African and Eastern European origin make up a small percentage of the population. Reports of racial discrimination are cited. Racial hatred is a criminal offence, and charges have been laid for inciting it.

Reports do not indicate any violations of academic freedom.

Women and men have the same rights in family and property law and in the judicial system. Redress for sexual discrimination is available through the courts. Women constitute a growing percentage in higher education, but they are under-represented in management, and there is income disparity between men and women. Violence against women is prohibited, and the prohibition is enforced.

The minimum age for employment is 16. The law is effectively enforced. Summer employment of underage youth in family businesses is permitted, and some underage children are employed as domestic servants or as kitchen help.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, except military and police personnel. Some 63% of the work force is unionised. Collective bargaining takes place, and workers have the right to strike, again except for military and police personnel. Labour laws apply in the export processing zone.

Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited. The national weekly minimum wage of US$160 (56 Maltese lira) is supplemented by an annual mandatory bonus and an annual cost of living increase. Subsidies are also available for housing, health care and education. The standard work week is 40 hours.