Addressing the International Women's Day event held at the Presidential Palace, President Anastasiades said that the generally successful activities of women in all aspects of private and public life, without exception, demanded respect, recognition and utilisation of their abilities, to note that "it is this respect that consciously led me, during the formation of my Government and the first and especially the second, to use in key posts and positions of responsibility a significant number of women, larger than at any other time in the life of the Republic of Cyprus".
He said that the Cabinet includes five accomplished ladies[/B], and for the first time he said "we are delighted to have a young woman who has been elected Speaker of Parliament."
"This is an achievement, this is something you should realise. I have said it on previous similar occasions to women. You are registrationally 50 percent of the population. It is up to you to represent the female gender or to choose or elect whomever you wish," he said.
He stressed that preference should be given to accomplished women, who he noted "when they are involved in politics we get much better results than when we get involved a lot of times."
"I do not underestimate men," he added, "I do not underestimate the abilities and capabilities of men, but I have never underestimated and I fully respect the abilities, capabilities, stubbornness and perseverance, but also the special diligence of women."
In addition, the President said that "steps have been taken in the right direction if you consider that 50 percent of the Commissioners out of a total of about ten are women", to add that "at the same time, the presence of women in the Presidencies and members of the Boards of Directors of semi-governmental organisations has increased significantly, exceeding 35 percent."
"We are trying in every way to strengthen the presence because we trust the presence of women. We are trying in every way to secure rights and I will make a brief reference to how we have succeeded taking into account the rights in terms of work and especially the reduction of the pay gap so that in Cyprus there is a continuous improvement over time," she said.
Referring to the establishment of rights, especially the reduction of the pay gap, President Anastasiades said that according to the latest and revised data of the Statistical Office for 2019, the percentage of this gap is now at 10.1%, compared to 14.1% which is the average of the EU.He added that "this positive development places Cyprus in the 7th best position among the EU member states, with a significant rise in Cyprus' position in recent years, having achieved a significant reduction in the pay gap, having fallen from 15.6% in 2012 when we took office to 10.1%."
Source: CNA
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