Sexual violence committed during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 remains an “open wound” for the island’s society, with most victims having suffered in silence and no perpetrators ever brought to justice, Cyprus’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Maria Michael, said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a UN Security Council debate on sexual violence in conflict, Ambassador Michael called for stronger legal mechanisms at national, regional and international levels to ensure accountability and justice for survivors.
“We are appalled by the alarming increase in conflict-related sexual violence and the brutality of the incidents,” she said, referencing the latest UN report on the issue. She expressed Cyprus’s full support for the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten.
Ambassador Michael stressed that despite the adoption of landmark UN resolutions like 1325 and 1820, sexual violence continues to be used as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism, and oppression. “This is not incidental or isolated,” she said, “but a manifestation of entrenched inequality and patriarchal power structures.”
Highlighting the ongoing consequences, she underlined that rape and other forms of sexual violence may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, or even acts of genocide.
The ambassador emphasised the urgent need for justice, calling for an end to impunity: “The era of impunity must come to an end. Accountability is key to lasting peace.”
She also called for enhanced support for victims, including access to legal aid, psychosocial care, and reproductive health services. Victims, she said, are not a monolithic group and each carries distinct traumas that must be recognised and addressed.
Addressing the experience of Cyprus directly, she reminded the Council that the country has suffered the consequences of foreign military invasion and continued occupation for five decades. “The sexual violence that occurred during the invasion still scars Cypriot society,” she said.
Ambassador Michael also stressed the need for women’s full and equal participation in peace and security decision-making processes. “Women and girls suffer disproportionately from conflict-related sexual violence, yet remain underrepresented at all levels.”
She concluded by reaffirming Cyprus’s commitment to a survivor-centred approach in addressing sexual violence in conflict and to working with the international community to ensure justice and long-term peace.
Source: CNA
Feature photo source: Shutterstock
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