VALLETTA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- For the second year running Malta ranks first amongst Europe in terms of gay rights ranking, ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Index indicated on Wednesday.
The index focuses on LGBTIQ policy and legislations and includes 49 Council of Europe Member States.
It also highlights the vast disparities between different countries where LGBTIQ rights are concerned.
With an 88 percent score, Malta retained its top ranking, with Norway and the UK in second and third place.
In 2016, Malta introduced a number of LGBTIQ friendly acts such as a ban on 'gay cure' conversion therapy to ensure that no sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression could be considered an illness or disease.
However, ILGA-Europe executive director Evelyne Paradis said there is still work to do to make sure LGBTIQ people can live freely.
At the other end of the ranking, she said, people are literally living in fear of their lives, she added.
