Republic of Cyprus Second Voluntary National Report - Sustainable development goals

32 Focus areas Since September 2020, specialised operational units that exclusively investigate cases of violence in the family were created in all Police Divisions. The establishment of these units primarily aims at further increasing specialisation and expertise in the police regarding the handling of cases dealing with violence in the family. Adoption of new technologies for the benefit of victims of violence in the family and women in danger, has been accelerated. In the current period, the development of a web application aiming to further help the victims of domestic violence, is in progress by Cyprus Police. Under the anti-trafficking Law, a National Coordinator and a Multidisciplinary Coordinating Group were created. A “National Action Plan 2019-2021” was prepared by the Multi-disciplinary Coordinating Group and it aims to submit a framework, in which real goals and specific actions are set out in order to confront Trafficking in Human Beings and all its forms of exploitation. The second National Action Plan for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (2017-2019) set out specific actions designed for the encouragement to report cases of violence through awareness raising and other activities, along with the launching of awareness-raising campaigns addressed to the general public and women in particular. Participation in EU Programmes such as STEP4GBV-Support, Training, Exchange Practices for Gender Based Violence and CIRCLE OF CHANGE-Preventing and combating violence against women and girls through gender equality awareness are essential towards supporting the development and implementation of practical and targeted information, raising awareness and providing educational activities to eliminate intimate partner violence / sexual violence, including rape and sexual assault. II. YOUTH-CHILDREN PROTECTION As young leaders of tomorrow, it is pivotal that youth are informed and engaged with the global vision for the future. Over the next decade, youth will not only directly experience the outcome of SDGs, but will also be the key driver for their successful implementation. Participation in Decision-Making Processes Youth-related issues are brought to the centre of the state’s attention, by encouraging and fostering youth participation in the decision-making process. Opportunities for participation are created through organised groups of youth and children which via public consultation bring forth issues relevant to their well-being and education. The newly introduced consultation with the President of the Republic of Cyprus annually, supports the role and participation of youth groups in decision-making processes. At the same time, the annual meeting held by the Children’s Parliament, within the Parliamentary House, aims to communicate children’s positions to parliamentary members . Issues like homophobia, ethnocentrism, inclusive schools, comprehensive sexual education into the formal curriculum have been raised through constant consultations between the Commissioner for Children’s Rights and the Young Advisory Team, a diverse group of children of ages 13-17. Through the European Network of Young Advisors, children had the opportunity to express and convey widely their views on the right of equality in education and violence against children. Inclusion and Non-Discrimination in Education Access to inclusive, mainstream and non-segregated education is being addressed through an upgraded educational policy aiming at the smooth integration of students with a migrant background into the educational system of Cyprus. The recently revised Curricula have integrated a gender perspective in educational materials, in order to combat gender stereotypes from an early age through the encouragement of boys for more active participation in family life and girls in politics/public life, as well as develop relationships based on equality and mutual respect between genders (SDG4 and SDG5).