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- Ελληνικά
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou delivered a national statement under the theme "Advancement of Women", during the general debate of the 3rd Committee of the 78th UN General Assembly. The general debate was held yesterday, 3 October 2023, at UN Headquarters in New York.
In his intervention, referring to the achievement of the goal of gender equality, the Permanent Representative noted not only the progress made, but also the particular challenges that remain and prevent the achievement of full equality, which are attributed to factors of instability and fragility caused by conflict, climate change and pandemics.
Referring to the report on the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals, he noted the Republic of Cyprus' concern that none of the indicators of Goal 5 "Gender Equality" have been achieved or even nearly achieved.
Hatzichrysanthou noted that gender inequality is rooted in stereotypical perceptions of gender roles, as well as historical inequalities, factors that perpetuate the problem. He stressed the need to address the root causes of inequalities and the need for a collective effort to address the regression of women's rights that is occurring around the world.
The Permanent Representative reiterated the determination of the Republic of Cyprus to intensify efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls. He noted the commitment to provide equal opportunities for the full, equal and meaningful participation of all women and girls, taking into account diversity, including women and girls with disabilities.
Mr. Hadjichrysanthou noted in particular that gender mainstreaming in all policies and actions of the Republic of Cyprus with a view to creating a gender-sensitive political, economic and social framework is a priority. In order to achieve this goal, the Office for Gender Equality, which is soon expected to become a permanent structure within the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, is working on the drafting of a new Strategy for Gender Equality for the period 2024-2026. As a result, gender focal points have been appointed in all Ministries and Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, with civil society playing a prominent role in the writing of this new national strategy.
The Permanent Representative noted that preventing and addressing all forms of violence against women and girls is very high on the priorities of the Republic of Cyprus. He reiterated the Republic of Cyprus' condemnation of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, both online and offline, in the public and private sectors, in peacetime and during armed conflict. He stressed in particular that any form and manifestation of gender and sexual violence is a serious violation of human rights and an obstacle to the advancement of all women and girls worldwide.
Mr. Hadjichrysanthou referred in particular to the issue of femicide, describing it as the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls, which unfortunately takes place in all states of the world.
Mr. Hadjichrysanthou referred in particular to the issue of femicide, describing it as the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls, which unfortunately takes place in all states of the world. He noted that the statistics are particularly alarming, as - according to a report - more than five women and girls were murdered by a family member every hour in 2021. In this context, the Permanent Representative referred to the adoption of legislation by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus in 2022, which addresses femicide. This legislation is the first of its kind in Europe, with the offence of femicide being included within the Cyprus Criminal Code, making gender-related murder an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Recognizing the importance of taking appropriate and effective action globally to eliminate the heinous crime of femicide, the Republic of Cyprus has undertaken a number of initiatives to highlight the issue. In this regard, the Permanent Representative referred to the Joint Statement of the Republic of Cyprus and Israel on "Femicide and Human Rights", in the context of the 53rd Session of the Human Rights Council, which was co-sponsored by 69 Member States. He also reported on the event jointly organised by the Republic of Cyprus, Malta and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODC) and UN Women, "breaking the silence" on the issue of femicide, on the margins of the 67th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on the Status of Women last March in New York.
In his statement, the Permanent Representative noted that the Republic of Cyprus encourages all States to recognize the existence of femicide, to define it as a crime in their relevant legislation and to develop strategies to prevent and address femicide through, inter alia, education and training of police authorities, judicial officials, teachers, health workers and other relevant officials.
In conclusion, the Permanent Representative noted that human rights are the cornerstone of the system of multilateralism, but also the highest priority of Cyprus' foreign policy. He particularly stressed that, as a candidate State for election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2025-2027, the Republic of Cyprus remains committed to the promotion, protection and advancement of all human rights of women and girls. It reiterated the Republic of Cyprus' commitment to the international institutional framework for gender equality, to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and Programme of Action, and to the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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