Vassiliou: ours is the only cabinet in the EU with no women participants
CYPRUS IS lagging far behind when it comes to gender equality, despite the implementation of European laws to combat discrimination.
The country does not have a single woman in the current Council of Ministers, or in the National Council.
The Women’s Information and Support Centre, Apanemi yesterday held a seminar to discuss the status of women’s rights in Cyprus, and the problems the shelter is facing.
Former parliamentarian and lawyer Androula Vassiliou, who has fought for women’s rights in Cyprus for decades, spoke of a lack of determination and force in women’s organisations today.
“I am sorry to say that today, women’s organisations are sleeping. They are not playing the role they should be playing in securing gender equality in Cyprus,” said Vassiliou.
“My generation has struggled very hard to achieve the legal and social changes that women are enjoying today. All women’s organisations worked very hard together; unfortunately this is not the case today.”
There may be less discrimination today than there was 20 years ago, said Vassiliou, but the island has still not achieved total equality.
“There is a difference of 30 per cent in women’s salaries compared to their male colleagues, in both the private and public sectors.”
But she admitted Cyprus society had come a long way since the 1970s, when she was the first woman lawyer in Cyprus to apply for the position of judge.
“I was told: ‘We advise you to your natural place – the kitchen.’ Today, out of 97 judges, 35 are women, which is a vast improvement, but indicative of the work that still needs to be done.”
A perfect example of this, she explained, was the total absence of women in national decision making.
“Looking at the figures – I don’t think there is full democracy in Cyprus. There have been just three women in the Council of Ministers over the past ten years. Now, the Cabinet consists of only men; ours is the only cabinet in the EU with no women participants.”
And out of the 56 Members of Parliament, only eight are women, while there are no women whatsoever in the National Council. “Not one woman; 51 per cent of the island’s population has no say in the government about their future.”
With National Women’s Day approaching on March 8, Vassiliou urged women to listen to the President of the Republic, the House President and party leaders.
“They all love us and think we are angels. But it only last one day. Women have rights all year around, not just on one day.”
In the 2005 budget, a sum of £40,000 was approved for the creation of a shelter for victims of domestic violence and trafficking. “When it came to the following year’s discussion, nothing had been done about the shelter and the money was untouched. The sum decreased to £20,000. Until this day, the shelter has not yet been built.”
Vassiliou concluded: “Unless we drastically change our attitude and society, there will never be true equality.”
General co-ordinator of Apanemi, Julia Kalimeri, spoke of the centre’s difficulty in keeping its head above the water, mainly due to the state’s decision to decrease its funding dramatically.
Since its founding in April 2004, the shelter has been forced to close down twice due to lack of funds and debts.
“Apanemi has faced hostility and an unwillingness to co-operate from statutory organisations,” said Kalimeri. “This reflects to a great extent the lack of democratic values and meritocracy of a culture that pays little attention to the human rights of disadvantaged groups, despite the country’s obligations as a member of both the Council of Europe and the European Union.”
She added: “The lax, and in many cases frustrating, bureaucracy is a further obstacle to civil society organisations in the human rights’ sector and has hindered our ability to help those in need.”
So Apanemi has set itself a challenge: to gain the best possible independence. “With the above obstacles in mind but still determined to fulfil its mission, Apanemi’s challenge today is to break free from even the minimum dependence on statutory organisations, to learn from experience gained and re-establish the organisation on its founding strengths while new strengths and skills are acquired.”
And with the help of its supports, Kalimeri believes this challenge will succeed. “Apanemi’s main strength has always been the people.”
“Those people are either those who work for its vision, planning and testing its model in practice, supporting it in the rainy days; or they are the people whom Apanemi helped and who very often come back to help too, with their encouraging recovery story, with their care and love, to see more people like themselves being benefited, with their kind support.
“Our challenge and strength is to make a difference together with those that care.”
