Polly Ioannou, the Ambassador of Cyprus to Egypt, took the stage on the second day of the Egyptian Women’s Summit in Cairo to discuss the issue of gender equality.
Ambassador Ioannou acknowledged the strides Cyprus has made in enacting recent legislation, including laws addressing femicide and equal work and pay. However, she highlighted persistent cultural barriers and stereotypes in Cyprus that impede the full realization of women’s rights and potential. Notably, women continue to be underrepresented, facing disparities in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as in security and peace-building.
Addressing these challenges, Ambassador Ioannou emphasized the necessity of creating more opportunities and incentives for women to pursue careers and leadership roles in these specific areas.
Furthermore, she presented Cyprus’s national strategy for Gender Equality 2024–2026, which aims to mainstream gender in all government policies and actions, involving civil society and other stakeholders in the process.
Ambassador Ioannou expressed optimism that the new strategy would contribute to advancing gender equality in Cyprus, ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in all their diversity.
Highlighting the global nature of these challenges, the Cypriot ambassador stressed the importance of collaboration and shared learning from diverse experiences and best practices to overcome common obstacles faced by women worldwide.
