A bill to integrate gender equality into the executive, legislative and judicial elements in the public and broader public sector was discussed at the House legal affairs committee on Wednesday.
- A bill to integrate gender equality into the executive, legislative and judicial elements in the public and broader public sector was discussed at the House legal affairs committee on Wednesday.
- Ioannou articulated that society expects the House of Representatives to address serious issues, highlighting the complexity of integrating gender perspectives into legislation.
Gender equality commissioner Josie Christodoulou underscored the necessity of addressing the different needs of women and men during her comments after the meeting. “Women and men have different needs, and we should take into account the different impact of every policy or action and every bill on women and men,” she stated.
Christodoulou highlighted that ensuring equality needed to be a fundamental aspect of drafting legislation and policies to eliminate gender-based discrimination. She cited the example of single parenting and the specific needs of women with disabilities as critical considerations that the proposal, submitted by House president Annita Demetriou, aims to address.
Commendable practices already adopted in Cyprus, such as yellow parking spots for pregnant women and families with strollers, were mentioned by the commissioner as examples of how local government is beginning to take these needs into account.
Furthermore, the commissioner pointed to successful incorporation of gender dimensions in policy processes elsewhere, including Vienna, where improved street lighting at night has resulted in increased female employment within the municipality.
Disy MP Fotini Tsiridou echoed Christodoulou’s sentiments, calling for the gender dimension to be included in future legislation and policies to achieve “substantive equality”. She emphasised the importance of these efforts in realising full equality between the sexes.
On the other hand, Elam MP Sotiris Ioannou expressed concerns about the practicality of the proposals. He questioned how women would be effectively supported through the measures outlined. Additionally, he raised a point regarding the term “feminist legal thought” mentioned in the proposal’s explanatory memorandum, asserting his party’s belief that “gender is biological”.
Ioannou articulated that society expects the House of Representatives to address serious issues, highlighting the complexity of integrating gender perspectives into legislation.
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