A/HRC/40/22
55.
On 14 November 2018, the Imagine project was relaunched for its second year. The
project is being implemented by the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research and
the Home for Cooperation, under the auspices of the bicommunal Technical Committee on
Education. The project seeks to increase contact between students and teachers from both
communities, including through “twinning” experiences (i.e. mixed classes), which are
focused on peace education, and other joint activities. For the upcoming year, the project has
received additional funding from the Federal Foreign Office of Germany so that it can expand
the scope of its work across the island. The Secretary-General has commended the project,
while calling for the leaders and both communities to make efforts going beyond it, in order
for the dividends of peace education and pedagogy across all levels of education to take hold
(ibid., paras. 35 and 57).
56.
As noted above, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
expressed concern to the State party about the disproportionate number of certain
disadvantaged groups who faced difficulties in gaining access to high-quality education,
including Turkish Cypriot, migrant and Roma women and girls. It recommended that the
State party continue to combat discrimination against those groups, including by adopting
temporary special measures (CEDAW/C/CYP/CO/8, paras. 34–35).
H.
Gender perspective
57.
In its resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security, the Security Council
called upon all actors involved, when negotiating and implementing peace agreements, to
adopt a gender perspective, including: (a) the special needs of women and girls during their
repatriation and resettlement and the requirements for rehabilitation, reintegration and postconflict reconstruction; (b) measures that support women’s local peace initiatives and
processes for conflict resolution at an indigenous level, and that involve women in all the
implementation mechanisms of the peace agreements; and (c) measures that protect and
respect the human rights of women and girls, particularly as they relate to the Constitution,
the electoral system, the police and the judiciary. Sustainable Development Goal 5 calls for
gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls, the ending of all forms of
discrimination against all women and girls everywhere and ensuring women’s full and
effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making
in political, economic and public life.
58.
Regarding Cyprus, in its resolutions 2398 (2018) and 2430 (2018), the Security
Council stressed the importance of the full and effective active participation of civil society
and women in particular at all stages of the peace process, and urged their involvement in the
development and implementation of post-conflict strategies for sustainable peace. In its
resolution 2430 (2018), it urged their involvement, including by revitalizing the Gender
Committee and considering the Secretary-General’s proposal to conduct a gender-sensitive
socioeconomic impact assessment.
59.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women acknowledged
the State party’s commitment to implementing the Security Council resolutions on women
and peace and security, the preparation of a national action plan for implementing those
resolutions and the ongoing work of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Gender
Equality. The Committee recommended that Cyprus expedite the projected national action
plan, develop effective tools for its implementation and ensure that sufficient financial
resources were in place for its women and peace and security agenda
(CEDAW/C/CYP/CO/8, paras. 10–11).
60.
In addition, the Committee expressed concern that women were not actively and
meaningfully participating in continuing peace negotiation efforts. It recommended that the
State party give highest priority to the meaningful and inclusive participation of women at
all stages of the peace process and in transitional justice processes. The Committee also
recommended that opportunities be provided for women and civil society organizations to
contribute to the peace process as active participants by establishing effective channels of
communication, coordination and joint initiatives for the inclusion of women’s priorities
(ibid., paras. 10–11).
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