What changed

B100333/2026

P10_TA(2026)0262

European Parliament resolution on theThe impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion on Cypriot women and girls, and the crimes committed by Turkish forces and consequences on gender equality

(2026/2617(RSP))

PE785.181

European Parliament resolution of 8 July 2026 on the impact of the 1974 Turkish invasion on Cypriot women and girls, and the crimes committed by Turkish forces and consequences on gender equality (2026/2617(RSP))

– having regard to Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty on European Union and Articles 8, 10, 78 and 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

C. whereas the consequences of the 1974 Turkish military invasion of Cyprus for women and girls have long been overlooked, with Cypriot women’s experiences of violence and forced displacement remaining some of the least acknowledged and often being excluded from official historical, legal and institutional recognition;

D. whereas the Republic of Cyprus remains the only EU Member State of which the territory is partially under illegal military occupation by a third country, with long-lasting consequences for all Cypriots, particularly women and girls, and for the EU;

D. whereas the suffering caused by the events of 1974 and their aftermath, as well as in the context of previous intercommunal violence, affected women and girls from all communities in Cyprus, including Greek Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot, Maronite, Armenian and Latin women, and their experiences of violence, displacement, loss and trauma deserve equal recognition, dignity and support;

E. whereas it is essential to recognise the systematic, organised, large-scale gender-based violence carried out by the Turkish military forces and the gender-based violence carried out by paramilitary extremist perpetrators;

E. whereas the Republic of Cyprus remains the only EU Member State of which the territory is partially under illegal military occupation by a third country, with long-lasting consequences for all Cypriots, particularly women and girls, and for the EU;

F. whereas Turkish armed forces have, by way of systematic conduct and established practice, caused deprivation of life to all Cypriot communities, including through the indiscriminate killing of civilians, and have subjected persons, including women of all ages, to torture and inhuman and degrading treatment;

F. whereas it is essential to recognise the systematic, organised, large-scale gender-based violence carried out by the Turkish military forces and the gender-based violence carried out by paramilitary extremist perpetrators on the island;

G. whereas women are disproportionately affected by conflict-related and aftermath violence, with the impact taking multiple forms, such as sexual violence, forced displacement, forced and compulsory labour, forms of sexual exploitation, economic collapse, and physical and psychological trauma; whereas the resulting harm often persists for decades after the formal end of hostilities, undermining women’s economic independence, bodily autonomy and political participation;

G. whereas Turkish armed forces have, by way of systematic conduct and established practice, caused deprivation of life to all Cypriot communities, including through the indiscriminate killing of civilians, and have subjected persons, including women of all ages, to torture and inhuman and degrading treatment;

H. whereas many survivors were compelled to migrate in order to escape stigma and cope with post-traumatic stress, and an unspecified number of cases of suicide or attempted suicide have been reported; whereas the issue remains largely taboo, despite recent instances of survivors providing public testimony, including anonymously;

H. whereas women are disproportionately affected by conflict-related and aftermath violence, with the impact taking multiple forms, such as sexual violence, forced displacement, forced and compulsory labour, forms of sexual exploitation, economic collapse, and physical and psychological trauma; whereas the resulting harm often persists for decades after the formal end of hostilities, undermining women’s economic independence, bodily autonomy and political participation;

I. whereas rape and sexual violence against the civilian population continue to be used, in a widespread and intentional way, as a weapon of war in order to gain political or military advantage; whereas conflict-related sexual violence is also used as a method of torture and even considered a ‘spoil of war’; whereas conflict-related sexual violence can also be a weapon and tactic of destruction; whereas acts of sexual violence are considered crimes under international human rights law in both war and peacetime;

I. whereas many survivors were compelled to migrate in order to escape stigma and cope with post-traumatic stress, and an unspecified number of cases of suicide or attempted suicide have been reported; whereas the issue remains largely taboo, despite recent instances of survivors providing public testimony, including anonymously;

J. whereas it was mentioned during the FEMM Committee mission to Cyprus that there was ongoing engagement with the Greek Orthodox Church as a societal actor contributing to the preservation of cultural identity and dialogue in the context of the ongoing situation in Cyprus, following the events of 1974 that resulted in the occupation of the island; whereas it was raised, in the context of the mission, that it shows capacity to respond with sensitivity and pragmatism in periods of acute social upheaval, with its commitment to promoting gender equality in this regard;

J. whereas rape and sexual violence against the civilian population continue to be used, in a widespread and intentional way, as a weapon of war in order to gain political or military advantage; whereas conflict-related sexual violence is also used as a method of torture and even considered a ‘spoil of war’; whereas conflict-related sexual violence can also be a weapon and tactic of destruction; whereas acts of sexual violence are considered crimes under international human rights law in both war and peacetime;

K. whereas there is an urgent need to address the long-term trauma, experiences and suffering of Cypriot women and put in place victim-centred counselling and specifically designed support services to further their personal, social and economic empowerment; notes that this must be done in a way that respects autonomy and confidentiality and, more broadly, shows utmost respect for human dignity, including psychological dignity;

K. whereas widespread impunity for rape contributes to rape culture;

L. whereas the real number of Cypriot victims of sexual violence remains unknown, with estimates varying considerably and figures reported by the FEMM Committee mission ranging between 700 and 1 500; whereas this uncertainty hinders the processes of reparation and compensation; whereas the survivors of sexual violence in Cyprus often do not come forward to report the acts they suffered because of trauma, stigma, fear, shame and a lack of institutional support and a safe and trusted reporting mechanism; whereas this has exacerbated the long-term psychological, social and economic consequences;

L. whereas it was mentioned during the FEMM Committee mission to Cyprus that there was ongoing engagement with the Greek Orthodox Church as a societal actor contributing to the preservation of cultural identity and dialogue in the context of the ongoing situation in Cyprus, following the events of 1974 that resulted in the occupation of the island; whereas it was raised, in the context of the mission, that it shows capacity to respond with sensitivity and pragmatism in periods of acute social upheaval, with its commitment to promoting gender equality in this regard;

M. whereas the victims included women of all ages, from underage girls and teenagers to young women, middle-aged mothers and older women, and even boys, fathers and men;

M. whereas there is an urgent need to address the long-term trauma, experiences and suffering of Cypriot women and put in place victim-centred counselling and specifically designed support services to further their personal, social and economic empowerment; notes that this must be done in a way that respects autonomy and confidentiality and, more broadly, shows utmost respect for human dignity, including psychological dignity;

N. whereas in 1974, rape and other forms of sexual violence were already prohibited under international humanitarian law, including Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which requires women to be given special protection against rape and any form of assault;

N. whereas the real number of Cypriot victims of sexual violence remains unknown, with estimates varying considerably and figures reported by the FEMM Committee mission ranging between 700 and 1 500; whereas this uncertainty hinders the processes of reparation and compensation; whereas the survivors of sexual violence in Cyprus often do not come forward to report the acts they suffered because of trauma, stigma, fear, shame and a lack of institutional support and a safe and trusted reporting mechanism; whereas this has exacerbated the long-term psychological, social and economic consequences;

O. whereas the May 2025 FEMM Committee mission to Cyprus highlighted the urgent need for recognition of the impact of the invasion and ongoing occupation on women and girls, including as a matter of dignity and justice for survivors;

O. whereas the victims included women of all ages, from underage girls and teenagers to young women, middle-aged mothers and older women, and even boys, fathers and men;

P. whereas gender equality, respect for human dignity and the protection of fundamental rights are core EU values and must be upheld consistently, including with regard to past crimes affecting EU citizens;

P. whereas in 1974, rape and other forms of sexual violence were already prohibited under international humanitarian law, including Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which requires women to be given special protection against rape and any form of assault;

Q. whereas the May 2025 FEMM Committee mission to Cyprus highlighted the urgent need for recognition of the impact of the invasion and ongoing occupation on women and girls, including as a matter of dignity and justice for survivors;

R. whereas gender equality, respect for human dignity and the protection of fundamental rights are core EU values and must be upheld consistently, including with regard to past crimes affecting EU citizens;

1. Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the Republic of Türkiye’s military invasion and continued illegal occupation of the Republic of Cyprus, now in its 52nd year, as a serious breach of international law and an obstacle to peace, stability and EU-Türkiye relations; strongly condemns the grave and enduring consequences of the invasion for Cypriot women and girls, including conflict-related sexual violence and other forms of sexual exploitation, enforced displacement, family separation, and other violations of international humanitarian and human rights law disproportionately affecting women and girls, as well as the long-term social, economic and psychological harm suffered;

8. Recognises that the majority of women and girls who were raped during the invasion and in its aftermath could access sexual and reproductive health services, particularly abortion, in Cyprus’ hospitals and British bases, even though abortion was criminalised at the time;

9. Calls on the Member States to ensure that survivors of rape have full access to medicalthe full range of sexual and reproductive health and rights services, suchparticularly asemergency clinicalcontraception, managementpost-exposure prophylaxis, treatment and prevention of rapesexually transmitted infections, including HIV and theHPV provisiontesting, safe and legal abortion services and maternity care, as part of high-qualitythe healthclinical services;management of rape;

10. Calls on the Commission to support Cyprus in continuing efforts to determine the full scale of conflict-related crimes, including sexual violence, and establish the number of victims, to collect data and safely document testimonies, thus ensuring adequate official recognition, redress and reparation for survivors and, where appropriate, their descendants, to promote historical awareness and to provide support services for survivors through an enhanced national action plan;

10. Commends the 22 EU Member States that have ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women (Istanbul Convention), including Cyprus; calls on the Commission to propose legislation establishing an EU-wide definition of rape whereby rape is defined by the absence of freely given, informed and reversible consent, in line with Article 36 of the Istanbul Convention; calls on the Member States to commence legislative changes to bring the definition of rape in their national legislation into line with Article 36 of the Istanbul Convention;

11. Recognises the initiative in Cyprus for the construction, in Nicosia, of a Monument to Women Victims of Sexual Violence as a space of collective memory and recognition; believes that placing the monument in a visible and prominent location will contribute to the recognition of the victims’ trauma and suffering;

11. Calls on the Commission to support Cyprus in continuing efforts to determine the full scale of conflict-related crimes, including sexual violence, and establish the number of victims, to collect data and safely document testimonies, thus ensuring adequate official recognition, redress and reparation for survivors and, where appropriate, their descendants, to promote historical awareness and to provide support services for survivors through an enhanced national action plan;

12. Encourages the Member States that have experienced widespread human rights violations, whether during armed conflict or under authoritarian regimes, to address, without delay, the issue of sexual and gender-based violence endured by victims and survivors, to break the silence, to encourage testimonies by means of formal investigation and to establish memorial initiatives that specifically recognise and document violations committed against women and girls, including conflict-related sexual violence, forced displacement and gender-based persecution, in order to officially recognise the crimes and open up the possibility of compensation; stresses that such initiatives should form an integral part of justice processes aimed at challenging historical silencing, removing stigma and affirming women’s autonomy, integrity, agency and dignity;

12. Recognises the initiative in Cyprus for the construction, in Nicosia, of a Monument to Women Victims of Sexual Violence as a space of collective memory and recognition; believes that placing the monument in a visible and prominent location will contribute to the recognition of the victims’ trauma and suffering;

13. Calls on the UN Secretary-General, who consistently prepares annual reports on sexual violence in conflict zones, to investigate the relevant UN archives and other sources to document the atrocities committed in Cyprus;

13. Encourages the Member States that have experienced widespread human rights violations, whether during armed conflict or under authoritarian regimes, to address, without delay, the issue of sexual and gender-based violence endured by victims and survivors, to break the silence, to encourage testimonies by means of formal investigation and to establish memorial initiatives that specifically recognise and document violations committed against women and girls, including conflict-related sexual violence, forced displacement and gender-based persecution, in order to officially recognise the crimes and open up the possibility of compensation; stresses that such initiatives should form an integral part of justice processes aimed at challenging historical silencing, removing stigma and affirming women’s autonomy, integrity, agency and dignity;

14. Welcomes the efforts undertaken at national level in Cyprus to acknowledge survivors and address past injustices suffered by all communities; calls on the Member States to set up compensation mechanisms for victims and survivors of sexual violence in line with the Victims’ Rights Directive; underlines that Article 16 of the Victims’ Rights Directive states that compensation should be paid by the offender;

14. Calls on the UN Secretary-General, who consistently prepares annual reports on sexual violence in conflict zones, to investigate the relevant UN archives and other sources to document the atrocities committed in Cyprus;

15. Encourages EU-wide awareness-raising about conflict-related sexual violence and the long-term consequences thereof in order to break taboos, combat stigma and empower survivors to come forward;

15. Welcomes the efforts undertaken at national level in Cyprus to acknowledge survivors and address past injustices suffered by all communities; calls on the Member States to set up compensation mechanisms for victims and survivors of sexual violence in line with the Victims’ Rights Directive; underlines that Article 16 of the Victims’ Rights Directive states that compensation should be paid by the offender;

16. Supports the organisation of a high-level public hearing with the participation of people who have survived conflict-related sexual violence worldwide, and especially in Cyprus, women’s rights organisations and peacebuilders, experts in international criminal law and representatives of civil society, in order to formally recognise their testimonies and experiences within the EU institutional framework and to show the gravity of the 1974 Turkish invasion;

16. Calls on Türkiye to provide effective compensation to the victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and other serious violations committed during and after the 1974 invasion;

17. Stresses the need for stronger legal frameworks in Cyprus and for victim-centred justice mechanisms to properly address the conflict-related sexual violence that targeted countless women and guarantee appropriate responses to victims’ calls for justice;

17. Encourages EU-wide awareness-raising about conflict-related sexual violence and the long-term consequences thereof in order to break taboos, combat stigma and empower survivors to come forward;

18. Strongly condemns the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, which is a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, and calls on the Commission to raise awareness of this issue by reflecting on the Cypriot conflict experience, in order to prevent further violence and take action should new conflicts break out; further calls on the Commission to continue promoting accountability and supporting initiatives, including dedicated financial mechanisms, that uphold the rights of victims and their families, to promote remembrance, to advance gender equality within the EU and to facilitate victims’ social reintegration;

18. Supports the organisation of a high-level public hearing with the participation of people who have survived conflict-related sexual violence worldwide, and especially in Cyprus, women’s rights organisations and peacebuilders, experts in international criminal law and representatives of civil society, in order to formally recognise their testimonies and experiences within the EU institutional framework and to show the gravity of the 1974 Turkish invasion;

19. Calls on the Commission to reinforce its financial support to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus so that it can fully fulfil its mission of exhuming, identifying and returning missing persons’ remains to their relatives, who include Cypriot women who continue to face profound psychological distress in addition to the specific impact of the war; stresses, however, that financial assistance alone is insufficient given the continued lack of full cooperation, restricted access to military areas and archives, and obstruction by Türkiye and the illegal secessionist entity in the northern part of Cyprus, which significantly hinder the effective functioning and timely completion of the Committee’s humanitarian mandate;

19. Stresses the need for stronger legal frameworks in Cyprus and for victim-centred justice mechanisms to properly address the conflict-related sexual violence that targeted countless women and guarantee appropriate responses to victims’ calls for justice;

20. Reaffirms that the EU has not only a political but also a moral and legal obligation to uphold the dignity, rights and historical memory of all EU citizens, including Cypriot women and men who suffered conflict-related violence, and highlights the need for sustained engagement and principled action in addressing such serious violations so as to ensure consistency with the EU’s external commitments to gender equality and human rights;

20. Strongly condemns the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, which is a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, and calls on the Commission to raise awareness of this issue by reflecting on the Cypriot conflict experience, in order to prevent further violence and take action should new conflicts break out; further calls on the Commission to continue promoting accountability and supporting initiatives, including dedicated financial mechanisms, that uphold the rights of victims and their families, to promote remembrance, to advance gender equality within the EU and to facilitate victims’ social reintegration;

21. Calls for reinforced and sustained EU financial and technical support for victim-centred services in Cyprus, including specialised trauma and gender-sensitive counselling, long-term psychosocial assistance and intergenerational healing programmes, which are specifically tailored to survivors and their families and are provided by qualified and specialised personnel to prevent secondary victimisation;

21. Calls on the Commission to reinforce its financial support to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus so that it can fully fulfil its mission of exhuming, identifying and returning missing persons’ remains to their relatives, who include Cypriot women who continue to face profound psychological distress in addition to the specific impact of the war; stresses, however, that financial assistance alone is insufficient given the continued lack of full cooperation, restricted access to military areas and archives, and obstruction by Türkiye and the illegal secessionist entity in the northern part of Cyprus, which significantly hinder the effective functioning and timely completion of the Committee’s humanitarian mandate;

22. Supports Cyprus’ full implementation of UN Resolution Security Council 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, particularly through the adoption of an enhanced and more comprehensive national action plan, and calls for the inclusion of more women in the peacebuilding processes;

22. Calls on Türkiye to grant full and unrestricted access to all relevant official records relating to the 1974 invasion and its aftermath, and to cooperate fully with international authorities and the Republic of Cyprus with regard to the conflict-related sexual violence, enforced disappearances and other serious violations of international humanitarian law;

23. Calls for full compliance with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, particularly as regards support for victims of sexual violence and due diligence in preventing, investigating, punishing and providing reparation for such acts of violence;

23. Reaffirms that the EU has not only a political but also a moral and legal obligation to uphold the dignity, rights and historical memory of all EU citizens, including Cypriot women and men who suffered conflict-related violence, and highlights the need for sustained engagement and principled action in addressing such serious violations so as to ensure consistency with the EU’s external commitments to gender equality and human rights;

24. Commends the work of civil society organisations and bicommunal groups on gender equality in Cyprus, including grassroots civil society initiatives, particularly those led by women, and applauds their role in fostering trust, reconciliation and dialogue; encourages the exchange of good practice between Cyprus and other countries with experience in violations of women’s rights; urges the Commission to enhance cooperation with Cypriot civil society, victims’ associations and relevant international bodies engaged in truth-seeking and reconciliation efforts, including through the provision of adequate EU funding;

24. Calls for reinforced and sustained EU financial and technical support for victim-centred services in Cyprus, including specialised trauma and gender-sensitive counselling, long-term psychosocial assistance and intergenerational healing programmes, which are specifically tailored to survivors and their families and are provided by qualified and specialised personnel to prevent secondary victimisation;

25. Reaffirms the binding nature of UN Security Council resolutions concerning Cyprus;

25. Supports Cyprus’ full implementation of UN Resolution Security Council 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, particularly through the adoption of an enhanced and more comprehensive national action plan, and calls for the inclusion of more women in the peacebuilding processes;

26. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and asks that it be translated into Turkish and forwarded to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Türkiye.

26. Calls for full compliance with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, particularly as regards support for victims of sexual violence and due diligence in preventing, investigating, punishing and providing reparation for such acts of violence;

27. Commends the work of civil society organisations and bicommunal groups on gender equality in Cyprus, including grassroots civil society initiatives, particularly those led by women, and applauds their role in fostering trust, reconciliation and dialogue; encourages the exchange of good practice between Cyprus and other countries with experience in violations of women’s rights; urges the Commission to enhance cooperation with Cypriot civil society, victims’ associations and relevant international bodies engaged in truth-seeking and reconciliation efforts, including through the provision of adequate EU funding;

28. Reaffirms the binding nature of UN Security Council resolutions concerning Cyprus;

29. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and asks that it be translated into Turkish and forwarded to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Türkiye.