First Lady to step down from charity roles amid online attacks

First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides on Sunday has announced her decision to step down from her role as chair of the management committee of the Independent Social Support Agency (AFKS), citing what she described as an “unrelenting attack” against her and her family on social media over the past 24 hours.

In a written statement, she said she and her children have been subjected to the spread of false news, defamatory comments and allegations of wrongdoing by both named and anonymous social media accounts. She warned of the risk of further uncritical and mass reproduction of what she described as malicious and unfounded claims, which she said amount to defamation and violations of the human rights of herself and her family.

She added that her status as the spouse of the President of the Republic does not justify or excuse such attacks.

Saying she believes deeply that defending one’s rights is not only a right but an obligation, she confirmed that she has already sought legal advice.

Referring to her role at AFKS, she said she had fully complied with the legislation adopted by the House of Representatives in 2015 when she assumed the position in March 2023. She added that following the increase in the agency’s budget and the granting of scholarships to a significantly larger number of children from disadvantaged families in 2024 and 2025, the attacks had intensified.

She said an extraordinary meeting of the AFKS management committee will be held on Monday, during which she will formally announce her decision to resign.

She clarified that the decision is not due to a lack of desire to continue supporting children, which she described as her sole motivation from the outset, but rather to prevent further damage to the integrity and reputation of herself, her husband and her family. She underlined that no member of the management committee has derived any personal benefit from the operation of the agency.

The same stance, she said, will apply to other charitable organisations where she had accepted roles as executive chair, following a tradition established by previous first ladies.

She called on society not to tolerate the defamation of individuals through unfounded allegations for political, party or electoral purposes, saying such practices do not reflect political culture or ethics.

Expressing confidence that the public understands the truth and that justice ultimately prevails, she said that helping others does not require official titles or positions.

“As a mother, I will always defend my family. As an active citizen, I will continue to stand by children and vulnerable people who need support,” she said, adding that she will do so quietly, discreetly and selflessly, while upholding the law and defending human rights.