It is with great pleasure that I have accepted your invitation to be with you this evening and to address you. I would first like to express my warmest congratulations to both the President and the members of the Women's Movement for their long-standing struggles in promoting gender equality issues in our country.
The issue we are examining today affects countries, states, economies and, above all, human lives worldwide. Poverty has dramatic dimensions and is a multidimensional issue that touches every aspect of a person's life. Today, we are focusing on the gender dimension because, as all statistical studies show, women are disproportionately affected by poverty. This is why there is a specific reference to female poverty or its feminisation.
In many parts of the world, women are paid less than men for the same work. The pay gap in Cyprus is 9.9%, i.e. women receive 90 cents for every one euro that men receive. This means that women often earn less money than men, making it difficult for women to ensure their autonomy and to meet their own and their family's needs. We should also note that the pay gap also has a long-term impact on pensions, with the gap reaching 37.2% and older women at the poverty line.
In addition, women are more often employed in part-time jobs and in low-wage sectors that offer little job security, making it even more difficult for them to escape the poverty line. Furthermore, unpaid, invisible work or women working double shifts, combined with the above, is another factor of poverty for women, who are the main caregivers in families. This again can lead to a cycle of poverty, as women cannot earn enough money for their autonomy and the maintenance of their families.
At the same time, women experience the most discrimination and violence including economic violence, which can contribute to their impoverishment. Women who experience domestic violence, for example, are often forced to leave home and work, leaving them without economic resources and even homeless.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The promotion of equality between women and men and the full guarantee of women's human rights is high on the agenda of Mr. Nicos Christodoulides' administration. There are many factors that contribute to women's poverty. It is for this reason that the implementation of gender-sensitive policies is necessary to address the different needs of women. Policies that promote equal pay for equal work, female entrepreneurship and that can help reduce poverty among women.
To this end, we are in consultation with the Minister of Labour and the next step is a cycle of contacts with the social partners, with whom we will work out realistic and practical solutions to the above.
In conclusion, I reiterate that poverty is directly linked to women's rights. That is why we must work collectively, the state, the private sector and civil society, so that together we can create the conditions to achieve our common goals.
Thank you.
(NΓ)
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