On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we strongly reiterate our commitment and dedication to the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. Furthermore, we intensify our efforts to encourage victims of violence to seek help and report violence, which in most cases comes from their family environment.
As the statistics show, women and girls constitute the largest proportion of victims of all forms of violence, with the problem being most pronounced in times of crisis.
In Cyprus, important decisions have been taken in recent years, culminating in the signing and ratification in 2017 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing, combating and eliminating all forms of violence against women (Istanbul Convention). The Istanbul Convention is a legally binding instrument for the Government of Cyprus, which creates the framework for both the prevention of all forms of violence against women and the protection of victims, as well as for ending impunity for victims. Since then, and in order to harmonise national legislation with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, a number of bills have been promoted and passed, filling several gaps and strengthening the legislative framework in Cyprus.
In addition, the Government proceeded in 2019 with the creation of the Women's House, which is a breakthrough for Cypriot society and from 2020 will operate as a multidisciplinary centre, where professionals of various specialties provide support to victims of violence and their families. The operation of the Women's House was awarded to the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO), with a full grant for 2022 of €450,000 through the State Aid Scheme of the Social Welfare Services. In total, the grant to the Association for 2022 amounted to €1.5 million.
The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, recognizing the need to strengthen the actions of the State to address this serious social phenomenon, focuses its actions on the prevention of incidents of violence, as well as on treatment, support and counselling for victims of violence, aiming to minimize the negative effects of abuse.
The Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, recognizing the need to strengthen the actions of the State to address this serious social phenomenon, focuses its actions on the prevention of incidents of violence, as well as on treatment, support and counselling for victims of violence, aiming to minimize the negative effects of abuse. At the same time, it invests in practices aimed at raising awareness and fostering a culture in society of full respect for the right of every human being to live in safety.
(MCI)
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