No form of gender-based violence should be tolerated in the modern world, Cyprus’ Justice Minister, Stephie Dracos said on Friday in her message to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The Presidential Palace and the Ministries of Education, Justice and Agriculture were going to be illuminated in orange, in support of the global Orange the World campaign.
Dracos, in her message, expressed her support and respect to all women and girls who have suffered or are experiencing any form of violence and gave the assurances that the protection and safeguarding of their human rights and dignity is a top priority for the Cyprus Government and herself personally.
She also said that, after the ratification by Cyprus of the Istanbul Convention in 2017, which is a milestone in the efforts to eliminate gender-based violence internationally, there have been important changes at the institutional and legislative level but that, the efforts continue. The Minister said that, they are already studying the recommendations by the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) committee so that they can take further measures and decisions to continue “the positive path to achieving the Istanbul Convention”.
In her own message the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Anastasia Anthousi, said they were committed to eradicating violence against women and girls, which, she added, constitute the largest percentage of victims of any form of violence, with the problem being recorded more intensely in times of crisis.
Anthousi said that, in order to harmonise the national legislation with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, a series of bills have been promoted and passed, covering several gaps and strengthening the legislative framework of Cyprus. She added that the Deputy Ministry, recognising the need to strengthen the actions of the State to deal with the serious social phenomenon of violence against women, focuses its actions on the prevention of incidents of violence, as well as on the treatment, support and counseling for victims of violence, aiming to minimise the negative effects of abuse.
The Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights, Maria Stylianou – Lottides, noted that, the recent GREVIO report, records gaps and weaknesses in various issues, in which immediate action by the State is needed to ensure full compliance with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, pointing out that, the struggle to eliminate violence against women should be constant and continuous.
She also said that, holistic and parallel interventions at multiple levels are required, so that their impact is, on the one hand, immediate and effective, and, on the other hand, efficient, stable and lasting.
Source: Cyprus News Agency