PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Speaker Carmelo Abela calls for greater awareness and sensitivity towards people with ADHD

Speaker Carmelo Abela has called for greater awareness, understanding and support for people with ADHD, stressing that institutions and society have a responsibility to create environments that recognise and respect people's different needs.

The Speaker made this appeal during a visit to the exhibition Framed in Focus: ADHD Women, an initiative born from the experiences of women with ADHD which, through research, photography and personal reflections, gives a voice to realities that often remain unheard.

The project, carried out in collaboration between the University of Malta and ADHD Malta, sheds light on the experiences of women with ADHD and the challenges associated with identifying and understanding ADHD in women. One of the curators, Sarah Ellul Vincenti, explained how the project placed the lived experiences of women at the centre of both the research and the exhibition.

During the visit, the Speaker heard directly from women about their experiences and the challenges they face, including how factors such as bright lighting and open spaces can create difficulties in everyday life and in the workplace.

“Behind every photograph there is a story and an emotion. We need to be more sensitive towards one another and create environments that recognise and respect people's different needs," the Speaker stressed.

He thanked the organisers for their work in raising awareness about ADHD in women in Malta and called on institutions and authorities to continue strengthening awareness and support in this area.

The Speaker also called on the Members of Parliament present to keep what they had heard in mind in their parliamentary work. “As representatives of the people, we have a responsibility to listen to these experiences and give space to voices that are not always heard. Parliament should also be a space where awareness is raised and where these realities are given the attention they deserve," said the Speaker.

Also present for the initiative were Minister Julia Farrugia, Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista, and Members of Parliament Ivan Bartolo and Annabelle Cilia.

The Speaker concluded by expressing the willingness of his Office to continue supporting initiatives that raise awareness about ADHD and promote a more sensitive, inclusive and understanding society.