Significant gender inequalities continue to persist in Cyprus, according to the Statistical Service’s report “Gender Statistics 2025.” Despite some improvements over recent years, disparities between men and women remain evident in key areas such as employment, pay, public life, poverty, and health.

In the field of employment and earnings, preliminary data for 2024 show that the average gross monthly earnings amounted to €2,679 for men and €2,267 for women, indicating that women earn on average 15.4% less. Although this gap has slightly narrowed compared to previous years, the employment participation gap remains at 10%.

In education, women maintain an advantage in participation and degree completion. In 2024, 46% of women aged 20 and over had completed tertiary education, compared to 39% of men. Notably, women make up 35.4% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates, surpassing the EU average of 33.5%.

Women’s participation in public life remains limited, despite partial progress. In the Council of Ministers, female participation reached 36.8% in 2025, a clear improvement compared to previous decades when there was no female participation at all in 1990 and 2000. The highest rate was recorded in 2024, reaching 38.9%.

In the House of Representatives, women hold only 14.3% of seats. On the boards of organizations, their representation reaches 30.2%. Among senior public servants (grades A14–A16), women accounted for 45.1% in 2024 compared to 54.9% of men. In the judiciary, however, women are in the majority, representing 55% of judges.

In health, women’s life expectancy in Cyprus in 2023 was 85 years, significantly higher than men’s at 81 years. However, 35.2% of women over 65 report living with health limitations or chronic illnesses, compared to 37.4% of men.

In social protection, the risk of social exclusion for women stands at 18.5%, versus 15.6% for men, highlighting women’s greater economic vulnerability. Likewise, the poverty risk is higher for women (16%) compared to men (13%).

The Statistical Service emphasizes that these data are crucial for shaping effective equality policies and for monitoring progress toward achieving sustainable development goals.