Statement by the Commissioner for Gender Equality of the Republic of Cyprus, Ms Josie Christodoulou, following the release of the Gender Equality Index 2024

According to the Gender Equality Index 2024 of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), which was presented today at the Gender Equality Forum in Brussels, Cyprus was upgraded to the 20th position among the 27 European Union (EU) member states, from the 21st position it held in 2023. The Report confirms the steady progress made by our country in the field of gender equality, as also noted by other reports, such as the report of the World Economic Forum, which has upgraded our country to the 86th place (2024) from 106th (2023), and the United Nations (UN) report on the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which ranks Cyprus 39th out of 139 countries.

The overall progress recorded is a significant step for our country, but it does not justify complacency. The Report is a useful tool in our effort to continue the upward trend in the areas where Cyprus is performing well, but mainly to improve in the areas where the equality gap between women and men is wider.

According to the relevant indicators, Cyprus has made the greatest progress in the domains of work, i.e. equal access to employment and good working conditions, and money, i.e. access to financial resources and economic situation. Conversely, the lowest degree of gender equality is recorded in the area of power, which covers participation in political, economic and social decision-making processes. At these three levels, the highest performance is recorded in the participation of women in the Council of Ministers, while their representation in the House of Representatives, in local administration, on the boards of the largest companies listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange and on the boards of the public broadcaster and sports organisations is significantly low.

We continue to methodically implement the National Strategy for Gender Equality in collaboration with all Ministries and Deputy Ministries, with social partners, the National Machinery for Women’s Rights and the wider civil society. Our firm goal is to accelerate the process towards gender equality, reduce the gender gap in all sectors of life and establish a culture of equality between women and men.

(ΑΑ/IA/GS)

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