Throughout my twenty-year career, I’ve had the privilege of supporting various organisations, governments and activist groups in their endeavours to bring about positive change.

My expertise lies in supporting philanthropic, non-profit, governmental and public sector organisations and entities to craft strategies, policies and programmes deeply rooted in feminist social and gender justice principles.

I’m passionate about fostering intersectional and multidimensional advocacy and research, ensuring that our efforts address systemic and structural forms of exclusion and oppression.

To find out more about my background and personal career journey, read my story here.

I support organisations with strategic planning processes, research, report writing, data analysis, training and facilitation.

The strategic planning process includes an assessment of the organisational strengths and weaknesses, understanding and mapping of critical partners, carrying out consultations and research, and analysing trending factors and opportunities.

An example of a Strategic Plan that I have facilitated:

ILGA World

In my capacity as consultant, I worked with the ILGA World Executive Board and the Executive Director to develop ILGA’s 5-year Strategic Plan (2014 – 2018) and a new learning and evaluation matrix, following an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation; and consultations with the global membership and critical partners of ILGA.

As ILGA World Co-Secretary General then, I led and worked with the Executive Board and Staff to develop a new Theory of Change, and visioning work for ILGA to strengthen the organisations and all the regions, developing ILGA’s 5-year Strategic Plan, which was approved at the ILGA World Conference 2019 (Wellington, New Zealand).

Government of Malta

As Assistant Director (Human Rights Directorate), I researched and drafted policy proposals in several areas related to social integration, human rights and equality issues (particularly concerning women, LGBTIQ and migrant rights). For example, Inclusion of Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students Policy.

National (Malta)

• LGBTQI rights
  • Developing advocacy strategies for the
    • Recognition of same-gender relationships, through the Civil Unions Act, which was tabled in Parliament in December 2013, and successfully passed in April 2014. This was followed by further advocacy and proposals that led to Marriage Equality in Malta in 2017.
    • Recognition of the right to gender identity, physical integrity and bodily autonomy, through the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act, which successfully was made into law in April 2015.
  • Carrying out research to sustain various advocacy strategies, for example, Baldacchino, R. & Grech, C. (2008). The inclusion of transgender individuals into the labour market: A research study. Malta: MGRM.

• Sex workers’ rights
  • Designated as Advisor to the Government, providing specialised knowledge, research and guidance towards legal and policy advancements. Chaired a committee overseeing the sex work law reform, coordinating collaborative efforts and stakeholder consultations, and advocating for legislative changes through strategic oversight.
  • Conducted meticulous legal and social research, extensive consultations and advocacy to draft and support comprehensive legal frameworks. Developed a roadmap to improve the legal, social and economic conditions of sex workers in Malta, advocating for their rights and well-being at a national scale.
  • Successfully advocated for new support services within the National Social Welfare Agency (FSWS), including outreach initiatives and safe spaces for sex workers, particularly targeting those living precariously. Worked closely with the Human Rights Directorate to ensure there is synergy between strategies and concrete policies and programmes for systemic reform.

• Sexual and Reproductive Justice
  • Spearheaded initiatives to influence reproductive health and rights policies at international levels, engaging key stakeholders.
  • Spoke at various political fora about sexual and reproductive health and rights in Malta.
  • Used my knowledge of international human rights treaties and conventions to craft advocacy strategies aligned with global standards for protecting and promoting SRHR. 
  • Played a key role in creating and promoting groundbreaking legislation, such as the banning of medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex individuals and establishing legal protections

International / Global

• Political advocacy: Representing ILGA World internationally in different fora, such as conferences, meetings and advocacy efforts at the UN.
• Philanthropic advocacy: develop and oversee philanthropic advocacy strategies and activities, including the development and dissemination of research reports on the intersex movement and other materials, and planning of donor-activist convenings.

• Non-formal education and methodologies of learning
  • Working with children and youth
  • Developed and facilitated Study Sessions for LGBTIQ youth in the framework of the Council of Europe Youth Directorate (through IGLYO)
• Formal training and education:
  • Training / Mentoring students at the We Are – LGBTQ Youth and Student Organisation (University of Malta)
  • Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, responsible for “Introduction to Queer Studies” – the first time a course in queer studies was offered in Malta.
  • Thesis supervisor and examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Sociology, Education, Youth Work, and Social Work.
  • Proposed a curriculum for a “Certificate in Playwork” to provide specialised training to playworkers within Klabb 3-16, the national after-school service for school-aged children in Malta.
  • Providing professional development training on gender and sexuality to professionals (e.g. teachers, psychologists, social workers, police officers)