Greeting of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL, at a social gathering organized on the occasion of International Women’s Day

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 4th March 2016, Nicosia

 

Thank you very much everyone for your positive response to our invitation. This gathering, which we have established over the last few years, is not only a sign of respect and honor for the work that each and every one of you is doing in your field. It is for us a very good opportunity to hear your views, thoughts and reflections on the important issues facing our country.

Unfortunately we note until today that Cypriot society hasn’t yet managed to get rid of stereotypes, prejudices and patriarchal attitudes. With sadness and reflection I see many times young people expressing themselves with outdated attitudes. It is even sadder when one observes a sexism reminding us of its woeful presence in our country’s public life.

For AKEL the struggle for parity, the combatting of sexism and the need to elevate women to assume their rightful place is not just an obligation. It is part of the philosophy and ideology that we stand for. Besides, this is also the reason why we always feel doubly obliged wherever and whenever we identify the shame of discrimination and sexism to react, not as “Knights” to defend the “weaker sex”, but rather as a force that gives more power to women’s struggles for liberation, equality, respect and dignity.

The liberation of women, however, their presence in the social and political life of the country will not be achieved without struggle. If those policies and measures do not exist that will lift the barriers that do not allow women to free their forces out of the house, then all that we are proclaiming all these years will not be put into practice.

How can we expect a woman will get involved in socio-political matters, if she is forced to work twelve hours a day? How can we expect that she will cease being a victim of stereotypes if we show tolerance to everything that reproduces them? How do we believe that sexism will be combated if we don’t talk about it, if we do not take measures to fight it, if we do not start from education itself? How do we expect young women, who have to pass through the harshness of unemployment or flexible working hours, family obligations, housing problems, the lack of social care facilities, to come to the fore?

As AKEL, we believe that women have a lot to say and can do even more. Especially in today’s conditions where the crisis is hurting women twice as much as men at all levels. Unemployment, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty, limited access to health, are just some of the phenomena that are exacerbated by the economic crisis. I’m sure you know that AKEL has positions and proposals on almost all issues of concern to women. Instead however of listing all that we propose to do, permit me to refer briefly to some of the things AKEL- Left-New Forces have already done in the House of Representatives. We can subsequently discuss what else, in your view, can and should be done.

As the Parliamentary Group of AKEL- Left – New Forces, on many occasions and with the cooperation of other parties, we have tabled for discussion in Parliament and promoted many issues directly or indirectly affecting women.

Let me indicatively mention some:

• Reassessment of wages in occupations traditionally considered as feminine,

• Improvement of women’s participation in political life and in decision-making,

• The right of women drug addicts to specialized programs/rehabilitation structures,

• The progress and challenges in research on issues of gender equality in Cyprus,

• Integrating the gender dimension in the development and utilization of human resources in companies and at the work place in Cyprus,

• The role of IT in terms of changing stereotypes and creating a collective social consciousness to the benefit of women,

• Briefing on dealing with all those patients unable to pay at Public Hospitals,

• The debate on the means of survival of families that are not eligible to public assistance or are without a status or are informal migrants and their treatment by the Social Welfare Services.

Let me also mention the following:

• The briefing we requested as AKEL on the National Action Plan against Human Trafficking 2013- 2015 and the course of its implementation, as well as the conclusions of the recent Report of the US State Department on trafficking in persons (TIP Report 2014),

• Report of the Ombudsman Report concerning the implementation and promotion of the legislative regulation for criminalization of the purchase of services resulting from trafficking and the exploitation of persons, but also on the new Strategic Action Plan for Equality 2014-2017.

• Finally, the briefing on the study “Establishment of a Demographic Policy and the Identification of Areas of Intervention with Focus on Policies for the Family”,

• The need for adopting a code to prevent and combat sexual harassment in public and private sectors,

• Furthermore, the problems that were caused by the implementation of the so-called Minimum Guaranteed Income and the problems of single parent families and the protection of maternity rights.

I don’t want to go on by referring in detail to all the issues that we have raised for discussion and promoted in Parliament on women. I just highlighted just a few to give food for thought and discussion. We want to listen to your own positions and proposals on these and other issues affecting women.

Thank you again for your presence here and for your attention.