Filenews 30 October 2025 - by Despina Psylou
End of an era for "Stamatis" and "Grigoris", as at the crossings of Cyprus pedestrians will now also meet female figures at traffic lights. This is an action of the office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality and the Ministry of Transport with the aim of mitigating stereotypes and discrimination within a framework of road safety.
As the Commissioner, Josie Christodoulou, told filenews, the name for the new traffic lights will emerge through a competition in primary schools, which will also be an occasion for discussion among students about equality.
"The new lights with the female figures will be installed gradually during the construction of new crossings and/or the replacement of older defective ones," said Ms. Christodoulou and pointed out that this is an action from the National Strategy for the horizontal promotion of equality between women and men.
Similar traffic lights, he underlined, are found in Spain, Switzerland, Germany as well as in a province in Greece.
During an inspection of the placement of the female figures at the pedestrian crossing on Mikis Theodoraki Avenue, in front of the Municipal Theater and the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, the Minister of Transport Alexis Vafeadis announced that lanterns with children's figures are also coming, which will be placed around the schools.
Mr. Vafeadis said that this is a small change with big messages, "a move that consolidates equality in our perception, giving the right messages to all ages". The placement of the female figures, he said, is a symbolic, but important initiative that reminds that women participate actively and equally in the life of the city.
By the end of November, the Department of Public Works will proceed with the construction, installation and operation of female figures at six pedestrian crossings, two in Nicosia and one each in Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and free Famagusta.
