Cyprus - Role of Women Women in Cyprus in the workplace enjoy nothing like the freedom or equal rights of women in Britain despite what the EU laws say. Sexism is rife particular among older Cypriot men, even if it is not maliciously intended. Women ire a Cypriot company will almost always have to answer to a man and, however educated or senior their position will be expected to perform secretarial duties and make the coffee. There are jobs for women naturally, including British women, but advancement to senior level is difficult. There are many active women's groups who campaign for peace between the north and the south, among them Women Walk Home Women's Civil Initiative for Peace, Actions in the Mediterranean and Hands Across the Divide. Whether they intend to work or not, women in Cyprus marry young. There is usually intense family pressure to find a husband and produce grand-children. An engagement is cause for great celebration and a broken engagement is s regarded by the family as a shameful tragedy. A very small percentage of the population still practises arranged marriages. Most couples marry in the Greek Orthodox church usually on a Sunday, followed by a lavish ceremony involving the entire local community, the bride in a frothy white dress, singing, dancing and bouzouki music. In urban communities the invitation to the wedding is often in the form of an advertisement in the paper, ensuring a large turnout. Many Cypriot girls still come with a dowry, usually in the form of property, although in practice both sides of the family will contribute towards the couple's first home.