Cyprus’ commitment to advancing gender equality and eliminating discrimination and violence against women and girls was reiterated at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee by the island’s permanent representative Maria Michail.
While “positive steps and progress have been made in recent years, the global community is falling short of achieving gender equality by 2030,” she said
Michail was addressing the session after briefs from UN Women, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls, and the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls.
Michail said progress remains insufficient, warning that “backlashes on women’s and girls’ rights across the world are persisting”.
She stressed that “historic inequalities, stereotyped gender roles and prejudices deeply rooted in societies continue to impede the full realisation of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
Reaffirming Cyprus’ dedication to addressing these challenges, she underlined that the country “is fully committed to intensifying all efforts towards achieving gender equality, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and girls, and promoting, protecting and fulfilling their rights.
She said Cyprus’ national gender equality policy reflects these international commitments and seeks to ensure women’s “full, equal and meaningful participation in all spheres of life”.
As a newly elected member of the Human Rights Council for 2025–2027, she said, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women and girls are among Cyprus’ top priorities.
Cyprus has doubled its 2024 voluntary contribution to UN Women’s core resources and to the UN Women Fund for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
