On the occasion of 8^th March, International Women’s Day

8^th March 2021

On the occasion of 8^th March, International Women’s Day, the Women’s Movement of POGO salutes the thousands of working women, unemployed, pensioners, women immigrants and young women in our country.

Today we honour the uprising of the New York women garment workers who organized themselves and struggled against the inequality and labour slavery conditions they were suffering. At the same time, we pay tribute to the struggles women in our country and throughout the world have and are waging for equality, the right to dignified work, political/civil rights, against violence and sexual harassment. We are at the forefront of the struggles of the present and the future.

Our demands remain topical

No matter all the efforts that are being made to portray women’s demands for dignity at work and equal pay as outdated, the truth is that they remain topical.

• Working conditions continue to resemble those of the last century.
• The legislation on protecting women’s rights is still not being implemented.
• Every aspect of the welfare state that should have been providing support to women and their families has been downgraded.
• The big employers’ organizations act as a co-government and determine the policies of the state.

The tackling of the pandemic has especially harmed women

The pandemic was another issue that was confronted without the dimension of gender into account.

• Women were forced in most cases to stay at home and look after the children with an allowance unable to cover even their elementary needs.
• Teleworking has ended up a 24-hour slavery condition. They portray it to us as an assistance, but in reality every operating cost is being transferred on working women themselves.
• While it was expected that the restrictive measures would lead to an increase in domestic violence, the Government did not act proactively.

We resist – organize – assert

A complete rupture and reaction through organized struggles is demanded against the Government’s policies. At the same time, we demand the peaceful solution of the Cyprus problem, the demilitarization of our island, the reunification of our homeland and people.

We defend our gains, rights and lives.

We continue – Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot women – the struggle for peace and reunification.

We assert

• Incorporation of the dimension of gender in all Government policies.
• Implementation of specific policies to combat gender stereotypes in education and the mass media.
• Establishment of a mechanism for the setting of a minimum wage in every profession, as well as elementary terms of employment where working people are not covered by collective agreements
• Immediate withdrawal of all the reservations submitted by the Anastasiades Government regarding the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.
• State framework of functional protection and care policies – structures, to combat domestic violence and alleviate the difficulties women face.
• Extension of maternity leave and allowance.
• Strengthening of infrastructures and human resources in public hospitals.
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