Social cohesion ministry will ‘strengthen family’

The new Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family will work on "strengthening the family" and on the "harmonization that must exist between professional and family life," its first minister has said.

Sofia Zacharaki was speaking at the handover ceremony at the former Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which will be split in two to create the new ministry.

Zacharaki said that together with her deputy minister, Maria Kefala, she would also work to protect people with disabilities with "policies that will truly eliminate discrimination and enable our fellow citizens with disabilities to be present every day in all activities."

The ministry would also promote equal treatment and equal opportunities, combat gender discrimination, upgrade and revise benefits.

Supporting children will be at the "heart" of this effort, the minister said.