Filenews 15 February 2026 - by Andrea Mavrou
"2026 in Cyprus and we are talking, we are still fighting for the obvious". With this phrase, the post of a father of young children on social media begins, which reopened the debate about the lack of diaper changing places in cafes, restaurants, playgrounds and public places, as well as the exclusion of fathers since such spaces exist only in women's toilets.
The post, which caused dozens of reactions and comments, raises the question of how it is possible, in the year 2026, that there is no clear framework that ensures basic infrastructure for families with young children. "Let's all reflect. For the simplest, the essentials, which will make our daily lives better," he concludes.
Mr. Loukas Panayi, educator and author of children's fairy tales, explains in more detail to filenews that his post came about through repeated personal experiences. As he mentions, often visiting cafes and restaurants, he found that several premises do not have diaper changing areas for children. "When I asked the people in charge if there was such a space, they often looked at me with wonder," he notes. In several cases, as he says, there was a changing table only in the women's toilets, which did not allow him to change his child. "Many times I was forced to go out, in squares, to change it in the stroller or anywhere else I could," he says.
The dominant feeling that this situation caused him was frustration. "We often talk about equality, but in practice we are light years behind," he points out, linking the issue to stereotypes around the role of the father.
As he explains, his post was not of a personal nature. "My children will grow up tomorrow and will not need a diaper change. I did it for the next ones, so that they would not find the difficulties that we find," he notes, stressing that his goal was to highlight the issue and concern the competent authorities.
In the discussion that opened under the post, many citizens shared similar experiences. Parents report that they had to ask in multiple premises until they found a changing table, even in crowded areas, while others point out that basic hygiene issues are often missing, such as the presence of antiseptics in places that accommodate children. Of particular importance was the comment of Mr. Andreas Mavrikiou, Chairman of the Limassol District Committee – Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation, who states that, despite the legislation passed in 2018 to protect breastfeeding and create care spaces, the framework must now evolve. As she emphasizes, child care is not an exclusively female affair and the absence of infrastructure in men's or neutral toilets effectively excludes fathers, underlining the need for the existence of an accessible diaper change area for all parents to become a mandatory licensing requirement for every catering and entertainment business.
The perspective of PASIKAS
On the part of the Pancyprian Association of Leisure Center Owners (PASIKA), the General Secretary Fanos Leventis, expresses the opinion that the issue of diaper changing areas can hardly be regulated through legislation. As he notes, this is a service that is legitimate to exist, as it facilitates visitors and can be a comparative advantage for the businesses that offer it.
According to him, the issue could possibly be examined at the level of urban planning terms, mainly for new premises that apply for an operating license, while in cases where changing tables exist only in women's toilets, he notes that this could, practically and after consultation, also serve fathers without being considered an insurmountable problem. At the same time, it recognizes the logic and necessity of such infrastructure, indicating as a more realistic solution the installation of folding "drawer" type changing tables in men's toilets, in addition to women's.
As he states, he intends to draft a relevant paragraph and forward it to the members of the Association, even through a public announcement, estimating that such interventions serve both the visitor and the business. "As PASIKA we do not have a strong opposition to the existence of such infrastructure," he notes, adding, however, that the emphasis is more on cultivating a business culture and sensitivity than on enforcing it through the law. In conclusion, he points out that enforcement often provokes reactions, which is why the Association invests in a gradual change of mentality.
