Newsroom
Cyprus’ push to get young women to sign up for voluntary service in the National Guard has gotten off to a rocky start, with not a single application submitted in the first four days.
The Defense Ministry opened the online portal on Sept. 29, inviting women between the ages of 18 and 27 to declare their interest. By Oct. 2, officials confirmed the tally was still at zero, though the application period runs until Oct. 24.
Some women have shown curiosity, calling the ministry for details, mostly to ask whether they could serve at camps near their hometowns. Defense Ministry spokesperson Christos Pieris told Alpha TV the answer is yes: “Camps have been selected in all provinces where women can serve.”
The government has rolled out several incentives. Women who complete six to 14 months of service can earn extra points if they later apply to become professional contract soldiers (SYOP), get social insurance credit for their service time, and gain an advantage in recruitment or promotions for certain public sector jobs.
Pay would match that of male recruits, €150 a month, with two to three overnight stays per week and one and a half days of leave per month.
So far, though, the pitch hasn’t convinced anyone to click “apply.” Officials hope interest will pick up before the October 24 deadline.
