Ombudswoman’s calls are a welcome voice in Cyprus

I welcome the Ombudswoman’s recommendations to the Interior Ministry regarding their role in legislating to ensure the equal treatment of gay and lesbian citizens and residents of Cyprus.

It has not gone unnoticed that a few years ago the government reluctantly agreed to introduce legislation to decriminalise sexual relationships between consenting adults of the same sex.

It is unfortunate that Cyprus has not led the way in introducing measures which show that we have the capacity to be a forward thinking and progressive society. As a gay Cypriot, I am surely entitled as a citizen of this republic to receive equal treatment as my heterosexual brothers and sisters.
That means I am protected from discrimination in the workplace, in the provision of goods and services and have the right to marry my same sex partner (amongst other things).

The reality is that such measures bode well for a much healthier and happy society, just look at other jurisdictions for evidence.  Come on Cyprus, let’s make these changes and show that we are grown up rather than being dragged through the Court of Human Rights and having to make changes because someone outside Cyprus tells us we have to.

Equal rights and treatment for us will not result in the skies falling in, nor the breakdown of the family (actually heterosexuals are leading the way on this!), nor the destruction of the human race – it will just mean that I am as Good As You.
 
Stephanos Jacques

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.