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The Women Political Leaders' Summit concluded yesterday in Brussels.
Councillor Irene Charalambidou participated as a speaker in a discussion on the need for a balanced representation of women in politics in her capacity as Chair of the Committee on Human Rights and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women and Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
In response to a question from the moderator of the debate on the representation of women in politics in Cyprus and their potential to bring about substantive changes in the political decision-making process given their limited number, Ms. Charalambidou stressed that in Cyprus the under-representation of women in the political arena remains an unfortunate reality due to the prevalence of patriarchal norms for centuries. She noted that in addition, women within the Cypriot Parliament have faced and continue to face sexist attitudes. She stressed, however, that within the Committee she chairs and in the House of Representatives in general, women MPs have demonstrated their ability to work together to achieve common goals, putting aside their party affiliation and placing the need to solve problems at the centre of their efforts.
In response to a question on the role of women in conflict resolution, Ms. Charalambidou said that she comes from a country that is still under occupation and is located in a geopolitically unstable region, stressing that the consequences of conflicts often disproportionately affect women. Ms. Charalambidou praised the role played by the women of Cyprus in peace building and reunification.
Referring to the issue of gender quotas that are in place in a number of countries and which aim to increase the presence of women in politics, Ms. Charalambidou noted that in Cyprus it is not regulated by law and is only applied on a voluntary basis by some political parties.
Referring to the issue of gender quotas that are in place in a number of countries and which aim to increase the presence of women in politics, Ms. Charalambidou noted that in Cyprus it is not regulated by law and is only applied on a voluntary basis by some political parties. She also said that based on her personal experience, Cypriot citizens have sent a clear message about the necessity of having women political leaders and oppose the perpetuation of their under-representation in the Government and the Parliament. He wondered whether the imposition of quotas could undermine the consciousness of some citizens.
In this context, she informed about her efforts within the OSCE CSO, in which she holds the position of Vice-Chair, to strengthen women's representation. She explained that she had tabled two amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, which aim to ensure that appointments made by the President-in-Office of the OSCE CSO take into account the need to maintain gender balance.
In addition, Ms. Charalambidou was appointed as a moderator for a thematic discussion organized by the World Bank aimed at providing inputs for the emerging Gender Strategy 2024-2030.
In her opening remarks at the thematic discussion, Ms. Charalambidou focused on the existence of scientific evidence showing that increasing women's representation in politics contributes to strengthening policies for sustainable development, as well as addressing food security and climate change. In the private sector, Ms Charalambidou said, the participation of women in senior positions enhances the competitiveness, productivity and profits of companies, while promoting the establishment of a business environment that fosters social cohesion.
At the same time, she said that increasing women's representation in decision-making positions strengthens efforts to fight corruption and promote transparency and accountability.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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