New york: The need for concrete action in support of survivors and for ending impunity for conflict-related sexual violence was underlined by the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, Ambassador Maria Michail, who spoke on Wednesday at the UN Security Council open debate on the women, peace, and security agenda. She noted that during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, hundreds of women and girls, as well as men and boys, were subjected to sexual violence by Turkish troops, adding that the suffering of those survivors remains an open wound for Cypriot society.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Ambassador Michail congratulated the Democratic Republic of the Congo for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and expressed Cyprus' appreciation for convening the debate. She also welcomed the participation of the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Judith Suminwa Tuluka, and thanked the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, for her briefing, reiterating Cyprus' full support for her mandate.
She said that the UN Secretary-General's latest report once again reminds us of the alarming scale and brutality of conflict-related sexual violence. The Permanent Representative referred to Cyprus' own experience, saying that, as a victim of foreign military invasion and ongoing occupation by Turkey for over five decades, the country knows firsthand the devastating and long-lasting consequences of conflict-related sexual violence.
Ambassador Michail emphasized this experience continues to strengthen Cyprus' unwavering commitment to recognition, justice, accountability, and support for survivors everywhere. She also referred to the adoption of a dedicated resolution by the European Parliament condemning the sexual violence committed by the Turkish troops during the invasion and calling for accountability and support for survivors, describing it as an important step towards preserving historical memory and raising awareness at the European and international level.
Ambassador Michail stressed that Cyprus unequivocally condemns all forms of gender-based violence online and offline, including conflict-related sexual violence. These crimes continue to be used as tactics of war, terrorism, torture, and political repression, she said, noting that they devastate lives and communities while undermining prospects for sustainable peace.
She also recalled that rape and other forms of sexual violence may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, or acts of genocide under international law, adding that accountability for these crimes is not only a legal obligation but also a prerequisite for prevention and lasting peace.
Ambassador Michail highlighted three key priorities: placing survivors at the center of all efforts, ending impunity, and ensuring the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women. Survivors must remain at the center of all our efforts, she said, noting that women, girls, men, and boys experience these crimes differently and require tailored gender and age-responsive, disability-inclusive, and trauma-informed support.
She added that survivors must have safe and timely access to justice, legal assistance, health care, psychosocial services, and effective reparations free from stigma and fear of reprisals. On accountability, Michail called on all states to strengthen national capacities to investigate and prosecute conflict-related sexual violence, while ensuring victim-centered justice processes.
Existing Security Council sanctions regimes should also be fully utilized to reinforce accountability, deter future violations, and send a clear message that perpetrators will be held responsible for their crimes, she stressed.
She also underlined the indispensable role of women protection advisors and women-led local organizations in prevention, early warning, and survivor assistance. Their work, she said, must be adequately resourced and protected, particularly during transitions or drawdowns of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Referring to the women, peace, and security agenda, Michail said that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation of women. The women peace and security agenda remains our strongest framework for advancing women's leadership in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and recovery, she said.
Michail noted that Cyprus remains firmly committed to advancing this agenda, both nationally and internationally. Earlier this year, she said, Cyprus adopted its second National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, reaffirming our commitment to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions.
The new action plan, she added, strengthens measures on participation, protection, prevention, and relief and recovery while placing greater emphasis on gender mainstreaming across national security and foreign policy. Beyond its national efforts, the Permanent Representative said Cyprus continues to support women and girls affected by conflict through targeted humanitarian assistance and development cooperation through Cyprus aid, contributing to humanitarian relief and promoting gender-responsive approaches that address the specific needs of women and girls in crisis situations.
Michail underlined that honoring the promise of international law requires more than declarations. It requires concrete action to protect survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, address the root causes of sexual violence, and ensure that these crimes never become an accepted consequence of conflict, she said.
Cyprus stands ready to continue working with the international community to strengthen the global response to conflict-related sexual violence and to fully implement the women peace and security agenda, she stressed.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, ended inconclusively. After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in broader format to be held, as the term of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres nears its end. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties.