No form of gender-based violence "should have no place and be tolerated in the modern world", says the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stefi Drakou, expressing her unreserved support and respect "to all women and girls who have suffered or are experiencing any form of violence" and assuring that the protection and safeguarding of their human rights and dignity is a top priority for the Government of Cyprus and herself personally.
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Minister, in a written statement, said that this day "has taken on special significance nowadays, since we live in a time when, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, this phenomenon is unfortunately on the rise".
He adds that "at the national level, after the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2017, which is a milestone in efforts to eliminate gender-based violence internationally, substantial breakthroughs have been made at the institutional and legislative level, which is also recorded in the first assessment of Cyprus by the Council of Europe's GREVIO Expert Group".
In particular, as the Minister of Justice says, "the report highlights the many positive legal and political measures taken, which demonstrate the firm determination of the state to prevent and combat domestic violence, violence against women and to ensure gender equality".
Furthermore, he adds, "the legislative framework has also been strengthened by a number of important institutional changes, such as the establishment of the National Coordinating Body for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women in March 2022 which has already developed the first National Strategy and the first National Action Plan for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women, which is consulting with civil society to finalize them."
Ms. Drakou says that at the same time "the creation of a Single Archive of Statistical Data on Violence is being promoted on a nationwide basis, in order to collect valid and comparable statistical data in order to plan targeted actions, while special teams have been set up in the Police to deal exclusively with cases of domestic violence in all provinces".
The protocols for sexual violence and rape cases have also been revised.
In conclusion, the Minister of Justice said that "efforts, however, do not stop here" and in this context, actions have already been initiated and the study of the recommendations proposed by the Committee has begun in order to take further measures and decisions to continue the positive course of achieving the Istanbul Convention".
The Ministry of Justice "supporting the global campaign Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect illuminates its building in orange sending a clear message that, No woman is alone."
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