Newsroom / CNA
The familiar green-and-red silhouettes that guide pedestrians across Cypriot streets are getting a new look and a new message.
On Wednesday, Nicosia unveiled its first traffic lights featuring female figures, part of a broader government effort to highlight gender equality in everyday life. The initiative, led by the Department of Public Works, will extend to five other districts, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, and the free area of Famagusta, by the end of November.
At a ceremony on Mikis Theodorakis Avenue, near the Municipal Theatre and the Cyprus Museum, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades described the change as “a small step with a powerful message.” The redesigned pedestrian lights, he said, serve as a reminder that “women are active, equal participants in city life.”
Commissioner for Gender Equality Josie Christodoulou called the project a tangible expression of Cyprus’s National Strategy for Gender Equality. The new signals, she said, aim to challenge ingrained stereotypes and make public spaces more inclusive.
“This is a symbolic gesture,” Ms. Christodoulou noted, “but symbols matter. They help shift perceptions, especially among younger generations, about who belongs and who is seen.”
