Justice minister wants LGBTI stigmatisation addressed

Cyprus needs to address the rhetoric that stigmatises, targets, and victimises members of the LGBTI community, Justice Minister Anna Koukkides Procopiou has said.

The minister made an extensive reference to the Cypriot legislative and institutional framework for the protection of LGBTI people during her speech on Wednesday’s high-level meeting by the Spanish presidency of the EU on LGBTI equality.

According to a statement from her office, Procopiou said there is a need to further coordinate and promote joint actions at European level “to build inclusive societies where LGBTI people have the same opportunities and enjoy the same rights without prejudice, discrimination, violence and exclusion”.

Cyprus, along with 15 other EU Member States, signed a declaration calling on the European Commission to intensify its efforts to implement the LGBTI Rights Strategy, while asking member states to implement action plans to map and address discrimination.

The meeting of EU Ministers responsible for human rights was organised by Spain’s Minister for Equality Irene Montero and attended by the EU Commissioner responsible for human rights, Helena Dalli.

Despite some recent progress made in protecting LGBTI rights on paper, activists remain concerned about the vulnerability of this specific community. After the recent adoption of a law banning conversion therapies, a group going by the name ‘Queer Collective CY’ said such actions ultimately have “no impact on the lives of LGBTI individuals”. They said to date police have not shown “any sort of willingness to effectively investigate criminal offences against LGBTI individuals”.