The Council of Ministers approved  the establishment of an annual “Gender Equality Award in Cyprus Shipping”. The promotion of gender equality in the shipping industry is included in the annual Action Plan 2023-2024 of the Shipping Deputy Ministry. In order to fulfil this commitment, specific actions have been recorded, one of which is the establishment of this annual Award.

The main objective of this initiative is to enhance the promotion and recognition of individuals, regardless of their gender, who, either in their personal capacity or as representatives of their respective organisations, have made a significant contribution to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women in the shipping sector of Cyprus.

The primary objective of the Award is to highlight the important role of women in the maritime sector. It aims to promote and adopt policies to achieve a working environment that promotes women as equals and ensures that they enjoy equal rights and opportunities with their male counterparts in similar positions.

The Shipping Deputy Ministry considers that the establishment of the Award will be an important tool for the implementation of the above objectives, which are fully aligned with the policies advocated by the International Maritime Organization and the Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality, with whom the Shipping Deputy Ministry maintains close cooperation in the implementation of its objectives.