Women in leadership positions and their full, equal and meaningful participation, at all levels of decision-making, is important and necessary in the direction of gender dimension in foreign policy, Commissioner for Gender Equality Josie Christodoulou said on Thursday, addressing an event organized by Socialist Women's Movement titled "We sing for Peace and Security".

Christodoulou said that in order to achieve peace we need diplomacy and the presence of women in leadership positions. She went on to say that recognizing this need at global level, efforts are being made through various resolutions for peace and the participation of women such as the 1325 United Nations Security Council resolution for Women, Peace and Security.

Regarding the integration of the gender dimension in foreign policy in Cyprus, the Commissioner said that many and varied actions were implemented, such as the appointment of more women to key positions, including heads of diplomatic missions, and the creation, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of a gender integration unit gender.

She also referred to other actions that are underway or have been completed such as the design of the Conduct Guide for Personnel Serving in Military and Civil Missions, regarding their obligations to respect the rights of women and girls and the establishment of a Coordination Committee, the Monitoring and Evaluation of the implementation of the Action Plan for UN resolution 1325.

The Commissioner also said that seminars and workshops were organized with frontline workers, with the aim of informing them about gender-related issues and raising their awareness, especially, about issues related to incidents involving victims of violence.