The Gender Gap in Women’s Leadership in Cyprus

This article surveys the state of women's representation in political and economic decision-making in Cyprus, noting that despite progress women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions.

It aims to explain the drivers of this underrepresentation and to set out strategies and recommendations for improving women's leadership and participation in decision-making across Cypriot society.

The article reviews cultural, societal and political barriers to women's leadership, discusses initiatives such as legislative measures, affirmative-action policies, capacity-building and training programmes and awareness-raising campaigns, and cites examples of successful measures — including political representation quotas — used in other countries as models Cyprus could consider.

It concludes that closing the leadership gap requires a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach involving government, political parties, civil society, media and business, and sets out targeted recommendations for each of these groups, arguing that greater women's participation would support more inclusive policy-making and a stronger democracy.