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- Ελληνικά
Gender equality is a matter of national interest since when women are empowered, society and the economy are strengthened. The message must get across that equality between women and men is not yet a problem to be solved, but the solution.
The above was stressed, among others, by Gender Equality Commissioner Ms. Josie Christodoulou in her speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day High Level Conference "Women for the Mediterranean" (#Women4Mediterranean), co-organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Office of the Gender Equality Commissioner, on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Commissioner noted that the conference will be used as a platform for discussion leading to the adoption of the Roadmap for implementation 2024-2025, a strategy to operationalise the 5th Madrid Ministerial Declaration (2022) to strengthen the role of women in society and promote equality between women and men.
Ms Christodoulou underlined that ensuring women's rights and promoting equality between women and men transcends national borders and takes on a regional and international dimension as women face similar obstacles in every part of the world: discrimination, sexism, violence, inequalities at different levels. It is for this reason, she added, that the conference will address 3+1 themes:
"1. Economic empowerment of women: Many women continue to work part-time, since they are still considered responsible for the "invisible" work, that of the care economy.
2. Gendered, equitable responses to climate change: We cannot discuss climate change without taking into account the different problems and needs that arise from this crisis for women and men.
3. Violence against women and girls: The global pandemic of violence against women continues with 1 in 3 women in the region being victims of male violence. Is it time to change the narrative and ask ourselves, is 1 in 3 men among us a perpetrator? We need to invest in prevention.
4. Gender equality in the media. A closed meeting of journalists on media storytelling regarding equality and women's rights has been held beforehand. We look forward to hearing the media's conclusions and suggestions for their contribution to the joint effort."
The Commissioner also stressed the need for a holistic and not a piecemeal approach to gender equality. The issue, she added, is one of the horizontal priorities of the Christodoulides government. We seek to integrate the gender dimension in public policies and actions, with the aim of ensuring women's rights and promoting gender equality, in the context of multilateralism, i.e. as part of our country's foreign policy. It is also important, he added, that for the first time the conference is being held in Nicosia, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of Cyprus' agenda and highlighting its strategic geopolitical position.
Finally, Ms Christodoulou thanked the Secretary General and the entire team of the Union for the Mediterranean for the excellent cooperation in the preparation of the Conference.
(AA/GC/EP)
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