The participation of women in diplomacy has huge benefits, said Commissioner for Gender Equality Jozis Christodoulou, adding that today, leadership positions in important departments of the Ministry Foreign as well as in diplomatic missions abroad are held by women.
In her speech at the Conference of the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus entitled “Women and Diplomacy”, the Commissioner noted that in Cyprus the integration of the gender dimension in diplomacy began in 2019, at the initiative of President Christodoulidis in his capacity then as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in the last year it has been strengthened in practice. Today, he added, leading positions in important departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as in diplomatic missions abroad are held by women. Additionally, Cyprus has contributed to international organizations working for women's empowerment and rights through development policies and bilateral projects.
He also said that their leadership style, expertise and priorities broaden the perspective of the issues under consideration and the quality of the results. Women's leadership and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all levels of decision-making is essential, she continued. This, he noted, should not be just a lofty goal, but a strategic pursuit that can strengthen a state's foreign policy and advance its national interest.
According to a statement, the Commissioner, after highlighting the under-representation of women in diplomacy worldwide, said that this unbalanced environment is largely the result of a strong and entrenched perception that “masculinity” is a valued trait in international politics. In many parts of the world, she added, power structures within diplomacy reinforce discriminatory practices, making it difficult for women to reach leadership positions.
Next, Ms. Christodoulou said that global economic, health and regional insecurity, caused by respective crises, affects women and men in different ways, with women being hit harder. Therefore, the absence of women from crisis management processes has a negative impact on their lives. Therefore, he emphasized, the absence of women from the decision-making process in foreign policy is a significant obstacle to achieving gender equality and equity.
Gender equality, concluded the Commissioner, it requires bold steps at a leadership and social level as well as in the context of transnational cooperation.
Source: KYPE
