The Council of Ministers approved on December 22 the first National Action Plan of the Republic of Cyprus for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”.

The Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday that the implementation of the provisions of the resolution constitutes an indispensable part of the Ministry`s policy, aiming, as a priority issue, to the enhancement of the women`s rights and to the promotion of gender equality through the foreign policy and the establishment of cooperation and synergies with other states.

The 2021 – 2025 National Action Plan was drafted at the initiative of the Commissioner`s for Gender Equality Office, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and in coordination with other competent ministries and services, and comprises four basic pillars.

These pillars cover Participation and Empowerment, Protection, Prevention and Promotion/Awareness about the resolution, aiming at the recognition of the disproportionate and unprecedented repercussions of armed conflicts on women and the use of their experiences to prevent and solve conflicts and to promote peace.

Moreover, according to the Foreign Ministry`s press release, the Plan outlines the framework for a coherent horizontal policy, that will create, inter alia, the appropriate synergies among the parties involved, including the civil society.