Women between War and Peace in Cyprus: The security sector as the missing link

In April 2022, the "Action Plan on how to ensure women's full, equal and meaningful participation in the settlement process/an eventual settlement process", consisting of a series of recommendations by the Technical Committee on Gender Equality, was launched. The Action Plan is yet another document aimed at positively transforming the peace talks in Cyprus and ensuring the active participation of women in the process. Even earlier, in 2021, the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) introduced a Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan (WPS NAP). Nonetheless, the advancement of the WPS agenda into policy in Cyprus has been stymied by the issue of recognition, which after decades continues to be the RoC's main narrative and position. Despite various well-intended efforts by the UN to introduce more inclusive processes for civilians at a bicommunal level, little has been done to further develop hard security-related dimensions from the WPS agenda into policy. These issues have not only affected institutions and policy at state level, but the same deficits are observed within the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).The focus of policy and Action Plans thus far have largely incorporated issues pertaining to participation and civil society engagement, leaving core security functions mainly unaddressed at a policy level, and excluding feminist-led approaches to security and defence in policymaking. Overall, there seems to be no binding gender strategy nor a clear gender-mainstreaming instrument for security in Cyprus. This is further observed in UNFICYP interactions with the two communities.