Image: EPP Group in the European Parliament The European Parliament’s Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee took a historic step on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, by adopting a powerful draft resolution to support Cypriot women and girls affected by the 1974 Turkish invasion. The committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of the text, with 28 votes for, 4 against, and 1 abstention. This landmark decision demands international accountability, immediate help for aging survivors, and a seat for women at the peace table.
The approved text strongly criticizes Turkey’s ongoing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus. It highlights the deep, lasting pain inflicted on women and girls, including forced displacement, family separation, and sexual violence used as a tactical weapon of war by the Turkish military. European lawmakers stated clearly that these actions are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. To help families heal, the committee is calling for victim-centred care, including trauma counselling and mental health support. They also want intergenerational healing programs to help families deal with long-term trauma. Furthermore, lawmakers are demanding more EU money and support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, alongside a new monument in Nicosia to honour the women who survived these horrific crimes.
Lawmakers also urged leaders to restart United Nations peace talks right away. They are calling for all Turkish military forces to leave the island. The committee stated that the only fair solution is a unified, democratic Cyprus where both communities have political equality. Crucially, they insist that Cypriot women must be given a full and equal voice in these peace negotiations.
After the historic vote, rapporteur Eleonora Meleti shared this message:
“Following our committee's mission to Cyprus last year, we promised to listen to survivors and bring their voices to Europe. Today, we are delivering on that promise. Fifty-two years after the invasion, many women still carry the trauma of violence and silence. Our duty is not just to remember, but to act, defend their rights, and make sure these crimes are never forgotten or repeated.”
This resolution follows an emotional fact-finding mission to Nicosia that took place from May 26 to 28, 2025. Now that the committee has passed the draft, the full European Parliament will vote on the official resolution during an upcoming main session.
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HCRI; EU/FEMM
The approved text strongly criticizes Turkey’s ongoing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus. It highlights the deep, lasting pain inflicted on women and girls, including forced displacement, family separation, and sexual violence used as a tactical weapon of war by the Turkish military. European lawmakers stated clearly that these actions are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. To help families heal, the committee is calling for victim-centred care, including trauma counselling and mental health support. They also want intergenerational healing programs to help families deal with long-term trauma. Furthermore, lawmakers are demanding more EU money and support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, alongside a new monument in Nicosia to honour the women who survived these horrific crimes.
Lawmakers also urged leaders to restart United Nations peace talks right away. They are calling for all Turkish military forces to leave the island. The committee stated that the only fair solution is a unified, democratic Cyprus where both communities have political equality. Crucially, they insist that Cypriot women must be given a full and equal voice in these peace negotiations.
After the historic vote, rapporteur Eleonora Meleti shared this message:
“Following our committee's mission to Cyprus last year, we promised to listen to survivors and bring their voices to Europe. Today, we are delivering on that promise. Fifty-two years after the invasion, many women still carry the trauma of violence and silence. Our duty is not just to remember, but to act, defend their rights, and make sure these crimes are never forgotten or repeated.”
This resolution follows an emotional fact-finding mission to Nicosia that took place from May 26 to 28, 2025. Now that the committee has passed the draft, the full European Parliament will vote on the official resolution during an upcoming main session.
_____
HCRI; EU/FEMM
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