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Thank you very much for the invitation to attend and address today's press conference organised by the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) in view of the International Day for the Prevention and Handling of Gender Violence and the 16 days of events that follow.
I warmly congratulate the President of the Association Mrs. Maria Haviara-Kousiosiou, the Scientific Director Dr. Andri Andronikou, the Officers of the Association, as well as the volunteers of the Association for their long-standing and important action and contribution to the common struggle for preventing and combating gender and domestic violence.
The services you have been providing to victims of violence for more than 30 years have contributed greatly to strengthening the network of protection, support and empowerment of women victims of violence in our country.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Violence against women is a global phenomenon with devastating consequences for the women and girls who suffer it. Gender-based violence undermines fundamental human rights and freedoms and exacerbates existing inequalities and discrimination against women. It further hinders and impedes the achievement of equitable and coherent development and progress in all spheres of life without exception. Violence against women covers a wide range of abuse ranging from physical, psychological, economic and cyber violence to femicide.
Friends,
No form of gender-based violence should have a place and be tolerated in the modern world.
In Cyprus, since the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2017, there have been significant improvements at the institutional and legislative level. I mention, by way of example, the preparation and enactment of legislation to criminalise all forms of violence against women included in the Istanbul Convention, harassment, stalking and sexism. Of great importance was the introduction of the offence of femicide as a specific offence in the implementing law of the Istanbul Convention.
This framework was reinforced by a number of important institutional changes, such as the creation of the multidisciplinary "Women's House" and the establishment of the National Coordinating Body for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women.
This framework was reinforced by a number of important institutional changes, such as the creation of the multidisciplinary "Women's House" and the establishment of the National Coordinating Body for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women. Recently, the Coordinating Body has proceeded to draft the first National Strategy and the first National Action Plan for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women for the period 2023-2028, which were approved by the Council of Ministers in February 2023.
These important policy documents include innovative and targeted actions in the areas of prevention, protection of victims and prosecution of perpetrators of violence, and aspire to address all forms of gender-based violence against women coherently, comprehensively and holistically.
In particular, the National Strategy and the Action Plan include civil society awareness-raising actions aimed at changing outdated perceptions and attitudes, promoting compulsory education that promotes equality and human rights at all levels of education, strengthening the training of all violence professionals, measures to encourage the media to apply self-regulatory standards in relation to gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence, the creation of treatment programmes aimed at perpetrators of violence, the creation of integrated programmes and services for the reintegration of women victims into society, the development of research programmes, etc.In this context, the Coordinating Body is proceeding at the beginning of the new year to train and raise awareness among 75 frontline health workers (Personal Physicians, Nurses, Midwives, Midwives, Mental Health Officers, Medical Officers, Coroners, Forensic Nurses and School Nurses) on all forms of gender-based violence covered by the landmark Istanbul Convention.
In this context, the Coordinating Body is proceeding at the beginning of the new year to train and raise awareness of all forms of gender-based violence covered by the landmark Istanbul Convention. I have even discussed the issue with the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth and we have decided that the training will be extended in the near future to professionals in the field of education.
At the same time, the Body is promoting legislation to facilitate the access of women victims of gender-based violence to free legal aid services and is coordinating actions for the creation of a unified database of violence statistics on a nationwide basis. A proposal is also to be submitted to the forthcoming Council of Ministers, under which a special grant scheme is to be established for organisations and other civil society bodies to implement targeted actions and programmes to combat violence against women.
With regard to the Police, special units are also operating in all provinces to deal exclusively with cases of domestic violence, while protocols for sexual violence and rape cases have been revised on the basis of the revised Policies, practices and measures in place should be subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation, aiming to upgrade and harmonise them with modern victim-centred approaches and concepts. Victims and their effective support, protection and empowerment should be at the heart of any such effort.
What should be pursued immediately is the development of all possible synergy and cooperation with all relevant governmental and non-governmental agencies so that the new legislation and new tools at our disposal can be fully utilised and implemented in practice without delay.
As the Minister responsible for equality, combating gender-based violence and promoting human rights, I reiterate the Government's commitment and determination to work in every possible way to eliminate the shameful phenomenon of gender-based violence. We are well aware that strengthening the voice and position of victims of violence is inextricably linked to ending impunity for perpetrators of violence. We invest in prevention, information and awareness raising, and we declare our presence in any meaningful action and intervention aimed at eliminating all forms of violence, inequalities and discrimination. Thank you.
(MS/NZ)
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