This Thursday, during the afternoon general debate of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), the Second Secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), Zonya Rivero López, spoke on behalf of our country.
The Cuban official reaffirmed Cuba's firm commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women. She highlighted the significant progress made by the country 30 years after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Rivero López emphasized that the Cuban State, in line with its project of social justice, has prioritized the elimination of all forms of discrimination, implementing public policies, programs and strategies that guarantee equal rights and opportunities for women.
In this regard, she said that Cuba has made very significant progress in terms of gender equality and women's empowerment. She stressed that, in the legal sphere, the Constitution of the Republic guarantees the protection of the rights of women and girls, while Presidential Decree 198, National Program for the Advancement of Women, is the cornerstone of gender equality policies. She also said that Cuba has integrated the gender perspective in its new norms, including the Integral Strategy for Prevention and Attention to Gender Violence and in the Family Scenario.
She also emphasized that in terms of education, health, participation in the labor force and decision-making, Cuban women have made outstanding achievements. She added that universal and free access to education and health, the right to decent employment and the guarantee of sexual and reproductive rights have been fundamental for the empowerment of women.
She also stressed that women represent 66% of the technical and professional workforce and 48.5% of decision-making positions. In Parliament, women hold 55.7% of the seats, making Cuba one of the world leaders in gender parity. In addition, Cuban women have achieved gender parity in science and lead the world in women inventors.
In conclusion, he stressed that, despite the difficult socio-economic conditions imposed by the U.S. blockade, Cuba has made remarkable progress in gender equality. He reaffirmed that gender equality is an indispensable condition for sustainable development with social justice.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations