Cyprus is intensifying its efforts to integrate the gender dimension into public policies, incorporating equality into decision-making, policy and action planning, and budgeting, emphasized the Commissioner for Gender Equality, Josie Christodoulou, who participated in the high-level international conference against femicide, held on Friday in Rome.
‘We are committed to establishing a culture that leaves no room for prejudice, conscious or unconscious, and no excuse for violence,’ Christodoulou stressed, during a discussion on the legal framework for tackling femicide, according to a press release issued by her Office.
The conference was co-organized by the Italian Presidency and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with the participation of European Ministers, UN and OSCE experts, and representatives of the civil society.
The Commissioner presented significant steps Cyprus has taken in recent years, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the adoption of comprehensive legislation to combat violence against women, the criminalization of sexism and online sexism, the operation of the ‘Women’s House’, which provides support to women victims of violence, the training of frontline professionals, and the strengthening of NGOs that are active in related fields. Special mention was made of the 2022 law that established femicide as a distinct offense, recognizing its gender-based dimension, the press release notes.
Christodoulou stressed that despite significant progress, the effective implementation of laws and achieving cultural change remain the greatest challenges.
‘We know,’ she emphasized, ‘that real change, beyond legal amendments, requires prevention. And prevention requires a shift in mindset.’
‘We must deconstruct the stereotypes that sustain inequality and silently legitimize violence, involving men and boys as allies in our efforts,’ she added.
The Commissioner highlighted that femicide is the most extreme form of violence against women and the most brutal form of discrimination, rooted in the historical power relations between men and women.
She also noted that worldwide, gender biases and stereotypes continue to fuel inequality and normalize violence, creating a climate of tolerance that puts women at risk even within their own homes.
On the sidelines of the conference, according to the press release, the Commissioner held private meetings with the European Commissioner for Equality, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, Eugenia Roccella, the Serbian Minister for Gender Equality, Prevention of Violence and Women’s Empowerment, Tatjana Macura, the Greek Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Domna Michailidou, and the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem.