Launch of ASTARTE – The Mediterranean Journal of Gender and Sexualities

The Human Rights Directorate within the Office of the Prime Minister – Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue Ministry, in collaboration with the University of Malta’s Department of Gender and Sexualities within the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, are pleased to announce the creation of a new online academic journal dedicated to advancing research in gender and sexualities.

The periodical, open-access, peer-reviewed journal will be titled ASTARTE – The Mediterranean Journal of Gender and Sexualities, with the first edition scheduled for publication in September 2026.

Astarte was a Mesopotamian goddess of love, sex, fertility, hunting, and war. 

ASTARTE will serve as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary, academic research and policy articles in the areas of gender, gender identity and LGBTIQ+ studies, with a strong emphasis on the Maltese, European, and Mediterranean contexts.

The Department of Gendser and Sexualities will oversee the journal’s academic quality by establishing and leading an editorial board, managing the peer-review process, appointing editorial roles, and developing and maintaining the journal’s online platform.

The Human Rights Directorate will provide the financial resources required for the journal’s promotion, dissemination, and public outreach, as well as for the publication of special print editions. The Directorate will also support the journal by highlighting areas of research linked to national priorities.

The official agreement was signed on Tuesday 23 September 2025 at the University’s Msida Campus by Prof. Alfred J. Vella, UM Rector, Mr Carlos Tabone, Permanent Secretary, on behalf of the Office of the Prime Minister – Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue, and Mr Clayton Mercieca, Head, Human Rights Directorate, Office of the Prime Minister.

Prof. Vella, UM Rector, spoke about how this collaboration signals a perfect synergy between the department’s prolific research and its resonance with the pressing needs of society.

Mr Carlos Tabone also highlighted that research is not detached from everyday life but actively working to improve it.

Finally, Mr Mercieca talked about the journal’s potential to anticipate emerging challenges and to equip society with the knowledge needed to address them more effectively.

Speaking after the signing, Head of the Department of Gender & Sexualities, Prof. JosAnn Cutajar, said that “through this initiative, we are aiming to strengthen our role as a regional hub for critical scholarship in gender and sexualities, while fostering dialogue across the Mediterranean. ASTARTE aspires to become a reference point for academics, policymakers, and activists committed to equity, inclusion, and social justice.”