Republic of Cyprus Second Voluntary National Report - Sustainable development goals

31 Focus areas horizontal policy, which creates appropriate synergies between stakeholders, placing special emphasis to the disproportionate and different impact of war on women and girls, the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution as well as in peacebuilding. Workplace and career empowerment A specific programme is carried out in order to increase female participation in technical fields and the promotion of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) targeting activities aiming at the reshaping of Secondary Technical and Vocational education, by attracting more female pupils (SDG4). In this context, an annual contest is organised for pupils at all levels of education on combating gender stereotypes in the field of workplace or their career path. In Spring 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth launched an essay contest which was addressed only to girls in order to empower them to think what they would have done if they were ministers for a day. This initiative aimed to give to young girls the empowerment that they could be actors of change and given the “authority” to do so in political terms, in a society where their representation is minimal. Combatting Gender Stereotypes in Education and Career Guidance was a project coordinated by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies in Cyprus aiming to address the stereotyping of educational and career choices and to promote gender equality in education, training and career guidance. This is to ensure that both girls and boys, women and men can benefit equally in relation to their access, integration, participation or advancement in the labour market. The Gender Equality Certification Body established in April 2014 continues to award enterprises that incorporate equal treatment and/or equal pay principles in their working environment, or apply best practices regarding equal treatment, equal opportunities, reconciliation of work and family life, or equal pay. In total, between 2014 and 2020, 54 companies/organisations have been awarded certifications. Ex-officio inspections and examination of complaints in the framework of the Equal Pay Legislation are carried out to provide information to both employers and employees on the provisions of the legislation, and to enhance the compliance level of companies with the content of the legislation, by detecting direct discrimination in pay. Within this context, Equal Pay Day takes place once a year, through the organisation of campaigns, events, forums and workshops in an effort to raise public awareness on the gender pay gap and its detrimental consequences on women’s economic and social life. Domestic Violence and Sex Trafficking combatting Cyprus pays particular attention to preventing and combating violence in the family and the sexual abuse of women. The Social Welfare Services provide counseling and support services to individuals and families who due to special psycho-social situations require either short-term or long-term support. In this context, the Council of Ministers of Cyprus has approved the operation of a “Women’s House” which functions as an interdisciplinary centre, where professionals from various disciplines and state officials such as Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers, specially trained Police Officers work under the same roof and provide appropriate support and treatment; psychosocial counselling support; legal counselling and guidance to women who are victims of violence. A Protocol of Cooperation has been signed with relevant NGOs aiming at the enhancement of coordination and collaboration with the voluntary sector for the provision of services and support to victims of trafficking and facilitating their access to information, housing, employment and social integration.