Deep-seated gender stereotypes have been established in Cypriot society, resulting in the country ranking last among the European Union member states in the 2025 Gender Equality Index, published today by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
The most severe problem identified, accounting for a 54.7% gap in the area of time, is the lack of leisure time for women, who are disproportionately burdened with household chores and the care of dependent family members, including the elderly and children. The country’s performance in women taking up positions of power is similarly poor, registering a 13.6% gap and placing Cyprus in the penultimate position in that category.
Cyprus scored 47.6 points out of 100 on the Index, primarily due to low performances in the domains of time (27th), knowledge (26th), and power (26th). Despite the low ranking, the EIGE highlighted an overall improvement in Cyprus’s score by 5.1 points since 2015 and 1.8 points since 2020, mainly driven by advancements in the health and work sectors.
Commissioner acknowledges issues and bias
Gender Equality Commissioner Josie Christodoulou acknowledged the problem, telling Phileleftheros that active steps are being taken to mitigate stereotypes and change the culture. “This is not a competition between men and women. Our goal is equal representation, far removed from stereotypes and prejudices,” she said.
The gender gap in Cyprus amounts to 54.7% in the domain of personal time, 44.6% in the domain of knowledge, and 13.6% in the domain of power.
In the work sector, despite having the highest participation rate for women in the EU (86.3%), the country simultaneously records a significant segregation into male-dominated and female-dominated professions (49.4%). Furthermore, while women aged 30-34 complete tertiary education at the highest rate in the EU (73% compared to 56% for men), they are often not employed in fields relevant to their education.
The Commissioner’s office underscored that these figures demonstrate how “stereotypical roles of women and men, conscious and unconscious biases, continue to shape the choices of girls and boys, women and men.”
Ranking methodology and other indices
The EIGE report notes that the current low ranking of 27th place is due to the Institute’s new assessment methodology, which the Commissioner’s office pointed out is not comparable to previous rankings and does not account for a country’s degree of progress. The EIGE itself notes that the drop in score “does not automatically mean that conditions are worsening” and that comparing old and new scores is misleading.
Christodoulou stated that the problem of women’s absence of time is directly linked to household tasks and the care of dependents. “Traditionally, women are entirely burdened by these tasks,” she said, adding that this absence of time prevents women from developing in other sectors, particularly in decision-making centres.
The National Strategy is focused on eliminating these stereotypes through:
- Collaboration with the Education Ministry.
- STEM subject promotion.
- Actions for women in Shipping and Diplomacy.
- Initiatives to reconcile family and professional life, focusing on access to infrastructure like nurseries and care homes.
The Commissioner added that a bill for “Balanced Representation on the Boards of Listed Companies” has been prepared following a European directive and will soon be submitted to Parliament.
Other international indices that factor in the impact of policies promoting gender equality have ranked Cyprus more favourably:
- European Investment Bank Investment Survey 2025 (Women in senior roles): Cyprus ranks second among EU member states with 42%.
- World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap 2025: Cyprus ranks 82nd out of 148 countries, up from 106th the previous year.
- Women Peace and Security 2025–26: Cyprus ranks 52nd out of 181 countries, up from 63rd in the previous ranking.
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