Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

THE NATIONAL Mechanism for the Rights of Women, which comes under the Justice Ministry, yesterday submitted to Parliament proposals for a compulsory increase in the participation of women in decision-making bodies from the current 16 per cent to 40 per cent.

Presenting the proposal to DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades as part of his plan to push the issue with political parties, Justice Minister Doros Theodorou said the constitution of the Council of Europe provided for at least 40 per cent of women, and considering that this year elections were taking place in Cyprus, it was a good time to consider increasing the participation of women in the political parties.

“This year will be a year, not only for the parliamentary elections but also local authority elections and this is the opportune time to bring about the changes that will see a bigger number of women in the centres of decision-making,” said Theodorou.

“We are visiting all the parties in order to promote this view and we ask them to comply with the Council of Europe’s recommendations.”

He said that as a result he hoped to see more women standing for public office during this year’s elections.

Anastassiades welcomed the initiative by the Justice Minster, which was drawn up in co-operation with women’s organisations.

He said that DISY, as a party, had proposed by means of changing its constitution, ways to increase the obligatory participation of women in the various bodies of the party. DISY now had female representation of 25 to 30 per cent, above the national average, he said.

Anastassiades also suggested to the Justice Minister that he approach President Tassos Papadopoulos with the proposals. “After all, there are no women in his Cabinet,” he pointed out.

Theodorou said the President would be made aware of the initiative but he added that the appointments to the Cabinet were generally not an issue for the national mechanism, but a decision by the President alone.

[cypezokyli]

i am not really sure if i am in favor of this. thats is: obligatory participation. i dont mind more women in parliament though. the biggest problem is that women dont vote for women imo. even though in the last elections the slogan in "put at least one vote for women" did work. if i am not mistaken we had the most women in parliament ever.

even though with the women currently involved in politics i am not that satisfied. a number of them just carry the name of their father or husband and i am not sure if they would ever had a chance otherwise. klerides, vasiliou, pashalidou, bla bla the worst case is antigoni papadopoulou. i cannot judge eleni mavrou (does she also carry a name....mmm being in akel is quite possible). i dont know much about her besides being a yes supporter and being attacked by the media. also the last minister of health , as well as the minister of education during clerides time were also of very medium performance.

but i have to say i admire eleni theoharous (but i dont really know much after she decided to join politics. she absent from the press). i also really like ms giorkatji , but i dont think pap does

do you think men MPs will vote for a law which could possibly force them out of parliament

all the best to our women candidates

[Maria28]

Women need to gain some experience in politics. If the chance to gain experience is not given to them how are they expected to be great politicians?

I fully support minimum quotas for some years.

Women should be given the chance in all aspects.

[Sotos]

cypezokyli, Antigoni Papadopoulou is not related in any way to Tassos.

[Agios Amvrosios]

Only if they are hot.

[cypezokyli]

yes i know sotos. i guess the way i wrote it it sound like that
but she still the worst female case in the cyprus politics imo

[Piratis]

The worst one is Kate Cleridou. About as bad as her father.

[zan]

Aren't there more women then men in the south? If that is so then they are the majority and should hold a majority in government.

[cypezokyli]

as i said zan. they vote for men. what can the poor men do? reject the position?

[zan]

These women! All they think about is sex and how to get it. I've never understood what they see in men. If I were a woman I'd get rid of the lot.