2020 was a year of injustice, inequality and discrimination for women and girls, says Gender Equality Commissioner Iosifina Antoniou, in a report on its work, adding that Cyprus ranks 21st in the EU in the Gender Equality Index for 2020.
In her Report for 2020, which she publishes, Ms. Antoniou notes that the outbreak of the disease Covid-19 found states unprepared for such a crisis, societies were unprepared to face this health crisis and deal with the pandemic, with the result that social and economic consequences exacerbate existing inequalities between men and women, threatening to reverse progress to date and push 47 million more women and girls below the poverty line worldwide.
"The crisis of the pandemic Covid-19 "and its consequences, it is said, have clear perspectives on the gender dimension, as they disproportionately and differently affect women and men and have further highlighted existing gaps and inequalities in equality."
At the same time, it is added, the pandemic has affected and is affecting the various vulnerable groups of the population in many different ways such as people with disabilities, victims of gender-based violence, single-parent outbreaks, migrant women, refugees, LGBT people.
"Cyprus could not be unaffected by this pandemic and there would be no setbacks on equality issues. Measures were needed to stop the unknown enemy with the state handling the pandemic quite successfully in terms of health indicators. "A more sensitive approach to gender issues was needed in terms of the gender dimension, and measures were needed to address them."
Gender Equality Index for 2020 by the EIGE
The report includes the results of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) on the Gender Equality Index for the year 2020.
The average gender equality in the EU rose to 67.9% from 67.4% in 2019. "It takes another 60 years to achieve full equality between men and women in the EU." referred to in the report.
Regarding Cyprus, the gender equality index rose from 56.3% in 2019 to 56.9%. Cyprus ranks 21st in the EU in the Gender Equality Index. Its score is 11 points lower than that of the EU. Since 2010, the rating of Cyprus has increased by 7,9 points
(+ 0,6 points from 2017). Making slightly faster progress towards gender equality than other Member States, Cyprus has improved its position by six places.
The area with the lowest score for another year is that of women's power and access to decision-making positions.
Balanced participation in decision-making positions and the professional empowerment of women - Reconciliation of professional and family responsibilities remain among our priorities at national level and are key priority goals in the new National Action Plan for equality between men and women 2019-2023.
As Commissioner Antoniou states, among other things, high and substantial equality between men and women remain high on our priorities.
"The elimination of all discrimination against women, the elimination of gender stereotypes and social prejudices, the empowerment of women and especially vulnerable groups, the promotion of the balanced participation of men and women in public and political life and in decision-making positions in general. preventing and combating all forms of violence against women and in particular trafficking in persons for sexual and labor exploitation remain high on our priorities ", he adds.