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It is with great pleasure that I participate in today's event, which, on the occasion of International Women's Day, highlights the need to ensure the rights of all people, regardless of gender, race, religion, social origin or other particularities.
Ensuring these rights cannot be achieved through superficial approaches and isolated actions, but through targeted planning and policies that contribute to providing equal opportunities for all. In our education system we continuously evaluate and upgrade actions and policies related to human rights and especially gender equality, based on research and literature and in line with the European and international institutional framework.
In recent years, progress has been made in promoting the principle of gender equality in education and in every aspect of life and everyday life of men and women. However, much can still be done to eliminate all gender injustices, exclusion, inequalities and gender-based violence. The views of children themselves are an important factor that is taken seriously into account in the design and formulation of our policies at all levels. Characteristic are the words of a student of the Lyceum and Technical School of Agios Charalambos in Eba, Paphos, who was awarded 1st prize in last year's text writing competition organised by the Interdepartmental Gender Committee of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the Committee for Gender Equality in Employment and Vocational Education: "As the child that I am" says the student among other things, "I envision a school where all children are treated equally regardless of gender, have equal opportunities and rights and feel protected and free, without discrimination. I want this school to feel like my family and not a place that fills me with fear. Gender inequality is a petty inequality of the human species that insults our very existence," she concludes.
Towards this end, the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth has an interdepartmental committee to promote gender equality and eliminate gender stereotypes and discrimination in education. With representatives from all departments and services, this committee has drawn up and launched a specific action plan within the framework of an integrated policy implemented on the basis of international conventions, under the supervision of the Pedagogical Institute. This policy includes actions related to gender equality in matters concerning the structures of our educational system and in-service training of teachers, as well as strengthening the role of the family in promoting the goal of gender equality through parental training.
The work of the interdepartmental committee for gender equality works in parallel with the Ministry's anti-racist policy and the policy for the prevention and management of bullying, which set out Therefore, school principals are required to faithfully implement policies to protect children from all forms of violence.
Standing today at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training School, I consider it important to mention that, as the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, we apply an integrated interdisciplinary approach to teaching, known as STEAM teaching, which covers the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics in both primary and secondary education. The challenges in narrowing the gender gap in STEAM are linked to the prevalence of a culture that has entrenched stereotypical attitudes towards professions, including STEAM professions, which are usually chosen by men. Another major challenge is the lack of social support structures for young families, with the result that childcare is usually provided by the mother. This can limit the integration of women in the labour market, especially in STEAM professions. In addition, in many cases there is a lack of incentives for women to pursue a STEAM career for fear of not having the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
Recognizing all these challenges, we are moving forward with the restructuring of curricula and the development of curricula oriented towards aspects related to STEAM teaching. As a State, we must prepare At the same time, we must reduce the gap in the representation of women in STEAM professions, overcoming the obstacles that usually discourage them from choosing a career path in these sectors, which have an ever-increasing need for human resources.
In conclusion, and looking forward with great interest to the debate that will follow, I extend my warmest congratulations to the initiators of today's event and to those who are participating in it. My sincere thanks go to the students, the management and the teachers of the school for their significant contribution to the realisation of the event, as well as for their warm hospitality.
IP
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