Canada and Cyprus Partner to Support Women Migrants and Minors

Canada is leveraging Cyprus' experience in accommodating women migrants, children, and those fleeing conflict zones amid global displacement, said Jacqueline O'Neill, the Canadian envoy on women, peace, and security. Canada is among a dozen countries that have signed agreements with Cyprus to temporarily host their citizens evacuated from neighbouring regions until repatriation.

Lessons from Cyprus

Cyprus has previously assisted in repatriating nearly 60,000 third-country nationals from Lebanon in 2006 and evacuees from Sudan last year. O'Neill's meetings with Cypriot officials provided insights that Canada can use in future operations, especially for pregnant women and unaccompanied minors. She emphasised the need for appropriate facilities on ships, specialised medical assistance, and separate accommodations for women in transit.

"For better or for worse, Cyprus has a great deal of experience receiving migrants," O'Neill told the Associated Press. "Keeping citizens secure doesn’t mean just putting them all in one place and holding them there until we put them all on one plane," she added. "It’s about making sure that their experience meets their needs of the moment."

Addressing Women's Needs

O'Neill also met with Cypriot women's groups advocating for a greater role in resolving the island's 50-year-old ethnic division following the Turkish invasion after a coup aimed at union with Greece. Since then, United Nations-brokered negotiations have been predominantly male-led. Statistics indicate that peace agreements are 35% more likely to last at least 15 years if women are actively involved in negotiations.

"Communities almost everywhere are 50% women. Why should we have people making decisions for that community that don’t have the 50% of those people being around and influencing it," she said. Women aren’t "inherently more peaceful" than men but bring new perspectives and expand the range of issues discussed due to their lived experiences.

Inclusive Decision-Making

O'Neill highlighted that women’s involvement in peace processes strengthens outcomes because they often manage households and care for family members. "It’s about saying the best decisions, the best outcomes come when the people who are most affected by those decisions have a voice in making them so when they’re closest to the people who are affected by them, the whole process is strengthened," she stated.

Fears of the Israel-Hamas war spreading regionally have increased recently. The North American country is preparing by learning from Cyprus’ extensive experience with migrants. This collaboration aims to ensure that future operations meet evacuees' specific needs effectively.

The Canadian envoy’s visit underscores the importance of inclusive approaches in both humanitarian efforts and peace negotiations. By incorporating lessons from Cyprus, Canada hopes to enhance its strategies for supporting vulnerable populations during crises.