Cyprus

2018

2025

2022

The highest possible score for a country is 100, and the lowest is -15. You can expand the different sections below to understand how the score was calculated for each indicator.

Indicator scores

Anti-Discrimination Legislation Applicable to Education

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Anti-LGBTQI Measures

There is no anti-discrimination law that is applicable within education. The Ministry of Education, however, published a policy document informing that the government is responding to its legal commitments posed by many internationally recognised human rights bodies, and it declares its commitment to access of sexual education for children and youth.

The policy of the Ministry is shaped through (a) the health education curriculum, (b) the anti-racism policy ‘Code of Conduct Against Racism & Guide for Management and Recording of RacialIncidents’, and (c) the policy on management of incidents of sexual abuse in schools. The first two are aimed at prevention and the last to respond to discrimination has taken place. The latter policy refers to the inclusion of the topic of sexual orientation in a way that it will aid the elimination of(among others) homophobia, transphobia, in-school violence, and delinquency

Policies and Action Plans

7.5

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No anti-bullying policy or national action plan: 0/10 | Anti-bullying policy or national action plan covering one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

In June 2014, the Ministry of Education and Culture set up the anti-racism policy, following the recommendation of the Authority against Discrimination of the Ombudsman’s Office. In the school year 2014-2015, some schools took part in a pilot project based on the Code of Conduct AgainstRacism and Guide for Management and Recording of Racial Incidents (2000) [116]. They were advised to treat intimidating incidents based on some aspect of the victim’s diversity (i.e. sexual orientation, gender identity) as racist violence. The pilot implementation of the Code and Guidelines was actively supported by the Authority against Discrimination on the Ombudsman Office and Human Rights and the UN High Commission for Refugees. In this protocol, the identity of individuals in relation to their sexual orientation is embodied. According to anti-racist policies of theMinistry of Education and Culture, violent incidents on the basis of gender diversity, gender identity or sexual orientation are defined as racist and are treated with the appropriate sanctions. There isalso a special mention on homophobia and transphobia; hostility, discrimination, or disgust againstLGB people, or individuals expressing their gender identity.

In March 2017, the Cyprus Police signed a memorandum of Cooperation for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights with 12 NGOs including KISA, ACCEPT-LGBT and Hope for Children [117].In January 2018, the Council of Ministers approved the proposal of the Ministry to implement the“National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Violence in Schools” (“National Strategy”) aimed to ensure that schools are democratic, safe and child-friendly [118]. The National Strategy has a duration of four years and includes legal, administrative, educational and social measures.

Inclusive Compulsory Education Curricula

7.5

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No evidence of compulsory national curricula inclusive of LGBTQI people: 0/10 | The compulsory national curricula includes representation of one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

The educational reform in 2011, implemented in 2012, brought about several changes in the compulsory education curriculum on all educational levels. In secondary education, sexual health topics are interdisciplinary and covered in biology and health education, under the chapter “creating and improving the social self”. Health education attendance is mandatory for all students except for thelast two years of high school. Students in the 5th and 6th form of high school (16/17-year-olds) may take the optional subject of family education, taught in the framework of home economics.

Civil society organisations report that some teachers avoid teaching these issues. They might choose some other health subjects to teach with which they feel more comfortable. Adolescents(88%) state that when they have a question/problem related to sexuality issues they usually get information from friends, 30% of them receive it from a health specialist and only 14% receive it from an organisation/clinic. The Commissioner for Children’s Rights has publicised a position promoting the right of children to access information and counselling services regardless of parental consent.

Mandatory Teacher Training on LGBTQI Inclusion

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

No mention of SOGIGESC in the mandatory teacher training programme: 0/10 Mandatory teacher training program with mention of one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There is currently no mandatory teacher training on LGBTQI awareness. Home economics teachers have been trained on reproductive health issues for adolescents on sexual rights and respect ofsexual orientation in the last five years.

The family Planning Association and ACCEPT LGBT Cyprus co-organised a series of voluntary trainings for teachers called Shield against homophobia. These trainings train educators on how to teachagainst homophobia.

School Environment and Inclusion

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Hostile environment

Hostile school environment and no government partnership with civil society: -5/10 | There is no evidence of the government providing funding or working in partnership with civil society: 0/10 | The government provides funding and works in partnership with civil society to promote inclusive education for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

Civil society organisations report that the government provides no support in relation to LGBTQI inclusive education.

Legal Gender Recognition

/10

Legal gender recognition without self-determination

Legal gender recognition with self-determination (over 16)

Legal gender recognition with self-determination (under 16)

No gender recognition provisions: 0/10 | There are laws and provisions, but with legal/medical/psychological approval: 5/10 | There are laws for self-determination, but only for those over 16 years of age: 7,5/10 | There are laws on gender self-determination, including those under 16 years of age: 10/10

There are no clear legal or administrative proceedings to change name or gender marker.

Data Collection on Bullying and Harassment

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

There is no evidence of national or regional data collection on bullying and harassment in education environments, or SO, GIGE and SC are not specifically mentioned: 0/10 | National or regional data on bullying and harassment in education environments is collected and disaggregated for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

The Observatory on Violence in School (under the Ministry of Education and Culture) was established in 2009 [119]. It collects, records and analyses data on the extent and forms of violence in school. It collects qualitative and quantitative data on good prevention and treatment practices of delinquency and violence in school, as well as national and international research on school climate, violence in school, school dropout and juvenile delinquency. The Observatory on Violence in School promotes systematic cooperation with teachers, partners, civil society organisations and the media in order to strengthen efforts in the fight against violence in school.

More concretely, a study conducted in 2011 reported severe instances of bullying and harassmentin school on grounds of sexual orientation. According to civil society organisations, this remainsunreported due the lack of policies to deal with these cases. In November 2012, the Ombudsmanpublished a report on homophobia in education in Cyprus to highlight the high impact of discrimination on grounds of sexual education in the life of LGB learners.

Support Systems for Young People

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

There is no evidence of support systems specifically designed for LGBTQI learners: 0/10 | Direct or indirect support systems are provided by schools or local authorities, but the providers lack training in LGBTQI-related issues: 0/10 | Direct or indirect support systems are provided by schools or local authorities for one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There is a domestic educational psychologist for all educational levels, as well as a professor of counselling and professional matters in middle school education. The Mental Health Services forChildren and Adolescents could also be referred to in a case of discrimination. Civil society have no information as to their effectiveness. It is reported that psychologists are often unable to deal withLGBTQI issues

Information and Guidelines

/10

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

Anti-LGBTQI Measures

Policies prohibiting the presence of LGBTQI-related information are in place: -5/10 | Schools are not required to adopt inclusive education guidelines: 0/10 | Information or guidelines for LGBTQI inclusion adopted by schools that mention one ground of discrimination: 5/10 | Two grounds: 7.5/10 | Three grounds: 10/10

There is no specific information or guidelines for LGBTQI learners or guidance for the education sector on how to address bullying and harassment against LGBTQI students.

International Commitments

/10

Member of the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network

Ratified the UNESCO Ministerial Call to Action

Neither Member in the EFPN or ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 0/10 | Member of the EFPN or ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 5/10 | Member of the EFPN and ratification of the UNESCO Call for Action: 10/10

Cyprus has signed the Call for Action by Ministers – Inclusive and equitable education for alllearners in an environment free from discrimination and violence.

Cyprus is not a member of the European Governmental LGBTI Focal Points Network.

View the map scored by indicator

Grounds of discrimination

Here is the country's score on each ground of discrimination on which we based our observations for 8 of the 10 indicators presented above.

Sexual orientation

Gender identity and expression

Sex characteristics (intersex)

See the map scored by ground of discrimination

Country score evolution

2025

32.5

/100

2022

17.5

/100

2018

/100

To enable a meaningful comparison of country progress over time, we have retroactively aligned the scoring systems used in the 2018 and 2022 Editions of IGLYO’s LGBTQI Inclusive Education Index with the updated 2025 scoring criteria.
While each edition of the research has built on the previous one, reflecting evolving standards and priorities in inclusive education, minor changes to indicators and scoring weights were introduced in 2022 and 2025 to improve clarity, consistency, and comprehensiveness.
By recalculating the earlier scores according to the 2025 framework, we have tried to ensure comparability across all three editions and provide a more accurate picture of progress, stagnation, or regression in each country’s approach to LGBTQI-inclusive education.
For this reason, you might find some scores in the PDF Report & Index 2018 and 2022 differing from those on the Education website for these two years.

Good practices

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