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The first meeting of the Gender Equality Commissioner, Ms.Josis Christodoulou, took place today, at the Presidential Palace, with the contact points in all Ministries and Deputy Ministries, aiming at the horizontal integration of the gender dimension in the state machinery. The contact points were appointed following a decision of the Council of Ministers, on 8 March 2023, and constitute the inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Commissioner for Gender Equality.
In her introductory speech, the Commissioner presented the mission and priorities of her Office, stressing that equality between women and men is a high priority of the Government. Only by strengthening cooperation and through holistic, horizontal actions, she stressed, can we achieve our goals. Ms Christodoulou added that the result of this broad cooperation and consultation with all stakeholders, based on the international obligations of the Republic of Cyprus, will be the new Strategy for Gender Equality. It will include, he stressed, targeted and implementable actions which will bring about substantial changes in order to consolidate the culture of gender equality.
Citing data on the situation in the field of gender equality in Cyprus, he noted that according to the Global Gender Gap Report (2022), Cyprus is ranked 106th (out of 146 countries) and 22nd (out of 27 countries) in the Gender Equality Index of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). These figures, she stressed, show that gender equality issues need urgent improvement.
Referring to the decision of the Council of Ministers to appoint the contact points, the Commissioner said that this reflects the importance that the President of the Republic and the Government attach to gender equality issues. In this regard, she expressed great satisfaction with the meetings she held with all the Ministers and Deputy Ministers after assuming office, during which, she said, the readiness of all of them to cooperate with her Office to achieve gender equality in all spheres of life in our country was confirmed.
Addressing the representatives of the Ministries and Deputy Ministries, she said that today's meeting is the starting point for turning words into deeds. The policies designed and the actions undertaken by the State, she stressed, should take into account the different characteristics and needs of men and women, so as to respond to them more effectively and, above all, equally. In this context, addressing the contact points, she added: "Your contribution as contact points is key to achieving our goal and I assure you that my Office's support to your work will be full and uninterrupted."
In the discussion that followed, the representatives of the Ministries and Deputy Ministries raised questions as to how they operate and coordinate and there was a constructive exchange of views on practical issues. The Commissioner finally informed that the next meeting of the contact points with her Office will take place in September next year, followed by their joint meetings with civil society and social partners as part of the broader consultation.
(AA/AF/SX)
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