Activities 2015

08/12/2015, Press Release - "New Strategy for Gender Equality 2016–2020"

The Cyprus Women’s Lobby (CWL) responded positively to the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) call and invited Justice and Public Order Minister Ionas Nicolaou to ask for the continuation of the European Commission’s Strategy for Gender Equality.

Following the great mobilisation in each EU member state, Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), called on the European Commission to adopt “a new strategy for Gender Equality” after 2015, which would have to be closely related to the Europe 2020 strategy and would also have to take into account the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

EKIF is a founding member of the Cyprus Women’s Lobby.

* [Press Release]

24/11/2015, Press Release on “Violence against women and minors”

On November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, EKIF published a Press Release entitled “Violence against Women and minors”.

10/11/2015, Anthology of Cypriot Women Poetry 1878-2008

An INVITATION and the PROGRAMME for the event presenting the Anthology of Cypriot Women Poetry 1878-2008 is attached. The event took place on Tuesday, November 10 at 6.30pm at Kasteliotissa Hall aiming to promote women’s creativity in the field of poetry.

22/9/2015, European Commission - Press release

"New framework for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment:

Transforming the Lives of Girls and Women through EU External Relations (2016-2020) adopted"

21/09/2015, International Day of Peace

21st of September is International Day of Peace. The European Women's Lobby (EWL), in order to mark this day, wrote an article entitled "Asylum is not gender neutral: the refugee crisis in Europe from a feminist perspective" which can be accessed at www.womenlobby.org/spip.php?article7292

06/07/2015, Press Release on the appointment of the Public Service Commission

Following the announcement of the appointment of the Public Service Commission, EKIF published a Press Release to highlight the unacceptable exclusion of women from one of the most important institutions in Cyprus.

24/6/2015, Embracing Project Conference

EKIF President participated in the final conference of the Embracing project entitled: Combating trafficking of persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation: Inform-Educate-Embrace, organised by the Socialist Women’s Movement on June 14, 2015 at the Lyssarides Foundation. The conference was addressed by Justice and Public Order Minister Ionas Nicolaou. EDEK MP Roulla Mavronikola presented the findings of the project.

16/6/2015, RPF Conference: COST ACTION TA1201-gender STE

EKIF President was invited and participated in the conference organised by the Research Promotion Foundation (RPF) at Cleopatra Hotel, entitled COST ACTION TA1201-gender STE on June 16, 2015. Key speakers: Dr Kalypso Sepou (RPF), UNESCO Chair in Gender Equality and Empowerment Mary Koutselini, Professor Ines Sanchezde Madariaga, Technical University of Madrid, Professor Tomas Brage, University of Lund, Sweden and Professor Paul Walton, University of YORK.

29-31/5/2015, 25 years of European Women’s Lobby (EWL)

EKIF President, Dr Dena Solomi together with the Cyprus Women’s Lobby President Susana Pavlou and Magda Zenonos represented the Cyprus Women’s Lobby at the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) event to celebrate its 25 year anniversary which took place in Brussels between May 29 and May 31, 2015.

The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest women’s organisation in the EU. During the event the voting for the Strategic Framework of EWL for 2016-2020 took place, based on six core values: Equality, Diversity, Respect, Dignity, Justice and Peace. The four basic principles of the EWL Strategy are: Women’s Human Rights (non-negotiable and inseparable) - Solidarity, Autonomy, Participation and Inclusion.

During the General Assembly which took place between May 30 and 31, EWL, with only one vote against it, adopted an Emergency Motion calling on the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to increase the involvement of women on an equal footing with men in the negotiation process concerning the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

15/6/2015, Press Conference: "Empowering the Presence of Women in Politics"

The Group, set up to promote women in politics, in collaboration with the European Parliament Office in Cyprus, organised a Press Conference at the House of the European Union in Nicosia on June 15, 2015. The EKIF President Dr Dena Solomi is a Member of the Group.

At the Press Conference, the statistics on the position of women in politics in Cyprus and other EU member states were presented. The Press Conference signals the beginning of a constructive dialogue and targeted actions for effective and immediate tackling of the under-representation of women in decision-making positions with priority to the promotion of quotas as a temporary measure.

* [Invitation]

May 2015, Anthology of Cypriot Women Poetry 1878-2008

In May 2015, the Anthology of Cypriot Women Poetry 1878-2008, written by EKIF President was published in Cyprus with the aim to promote women’s creativity in the field of poetry. The Anthology was published in Athens and features 410 poems written by 130 women.

15/5/2015, Discussion GODISY: «Bullying in schools: Myths and Reality»

EKIF President participated in a discussion organised by the Women’s Organisation of the DISY (GODISY) on May 15, 2015 at the Pralina cafe under the auspices of DISY MP Stella Kyriakidou with key speaker Child and Adolescence Psychiatrist Dr Ioulietta Kalli Laouri entitled: Bullying in schools: Myths and Reality.

15/5/2015, GALA DINNER by the newly founded LIONS Nicosia Club ONASAGORAS

EKIF President was invited and attended the GALA DINNER organised by the newly founded LIONS Nicosia Club ONASAGORAS organised on the occasion of the founding of the Club (Charter Night) on May 15, 2015 at the Holiday Inn hotel. The event was dedicated to the Female Actress and was under the auspices of Justice and Public Order Minister Ionas Nicolaou. Well-known actresses Anna Fonsou, Elli Kyriakidou and Tzeni Gaitanopoulou were honoured at the event.

14/5/2015, Round table discussion: The impact of the financial crisis on the exclusion of women from public and political life.

On Thursday, May 14, 2015 EKIF President was invited by the General Secretary of KE and AKEL, Andros Kyprianou to a round table discussion at the Press Conference with women’s organisations and other organisations entitled: The impact of the financial crisis on the exclusion of women from public and political life.

10/3/2015, Cyprus National Olympic Academy event: «Women in modern society-New challenges»

Dr Eleni Demosthenou, EKIF Board of Directors member, represented the Cyprus Gender Research Centre (EKIF) at an event organised by the Cyprus National Olympic Academy entitled «Women in modern society – New challenges», organised on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at the Olympic Hall in Nicosia. The key speaker at the event was Eleni Glykatzi-Arweiler. The event was honoured with the presence of Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou, President of the Association of Greek Olympic Winners Voula Kozompoli and Olympic Winner Voula Patoulidou.

10/3/2015, Event by GODISY dedicated to International Women’s Day

EKIF President represented the Cyprus Gender Research Centre (EKIF) at an event dedicated to International Women’s Day organised by the Women’s Organisation of the right wing Liberal Democratic Party (GODISY) at Filoxenia Conference Centre on Tuesday, March 10, 2015. The event was addressed by University of Cyprus Professor Dr Alexia Panayiotou who gave a speech entitled: «The difference of yet another woman».

8/3/2015, Women’s Day

EKIF President and members of the Board of Directors Danae Kaspari and Dr Eleni Demosthenous were invited and participated in the event at the Presidential Palace on Sunday, March 8, 2015 at the invitation of the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades and First Lady Andri Anastasiades to honour International Women’s Day.

14/2/2015, One Billion Rising: Drum! Dance! Rise!

The Cyprus Gender Research Centre (EKIF), as a member of the Cyprus Women’s Lobby (CWL), participated in the organisation of the event One Billion Rising: Drum! Dance! Rise!, which took place on February 14, 2015 in Nicosia on Ledra and Onasagorou streets. One Billion Rising is an international protest for violence against women and girls with the participation of 186 countries.

EKIF President Dr Dena Solomi represented the Centre at the event. The vibrant event was completed successfully and attracted public attention. Nicosia Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis and MPs participated at the event. The organisations and associations participating at the event called for the immediate signing and ratification by the Cyprus Republic of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.