New York, 10 October 2016. “Cuba stands firm in its conviction that a key requirement towards the full realization of gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls is the achievement of a new equitable and just international order, ensuring the eradication of poverty and hunger, the end of armed conflicts, the value of human beings above capital and the preservation of the environment”, noted the Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, at the UN Third Committee on Agenda item: “Advancement of Women”.
Among other data, the Ambassador described the current situation of women by detailing that they constitute 70% of the 2 700 000 of poor people worldwide and two thirds of the nearly 800 million of illiterate adults; more than 300 000 die every year from preventable complications during childbirth, 99% of them in countries of the South. She underlined that millions of women do not enjoy equal rights in terms of inheritance and property, and their representation in parliaments worldwide only represents the 22%.
As to Cuba, she pointed out that the integration of Cuban women into the development process as beneficiaries and active participants is regarded as one of the most successful phenomena occurred in the country. “Suffice to mention that in the year 1995, female unemployment rate was 13% and today it is below 3.5%. Women currently represent 48 % out of all the people employed in the civil state sector and 47% is holding senior managerial positions. The presence of women at parliamentary level amounts to 48.86 % and their representation in the Council of State has been increased to 45.2%.”
With humble pride, she noted that Cuba has been recognized by the World Health Organization as the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV-AIDS and congenital syphilis.
The Cuban diplomat stated that eliminating violence against women and girls requires the lifting of all unilateral coercive measures. Thus, she underscored that the economic, commercial and financial blockade that continues to be imposed against Cuba is an obstacle for the country´s full development and the advancement of women. It is a form of direct and indirect violence affecting and hampering Cuban women's enjoyment of fundamental rights, including their right to development. Nonetheless, she confirmed that Cuba maintains its political will to comply with all international agreements adopted in terms of women´s rights.
The Ambassador concluded by reaffirming the words of our President, at the World Leaders Conference on gender equality when he expressed: “In order to move towards full gender equality and women´s empowerment, it is imperative, above all, to have a just and equitable international order, ensuring the eradication of poverty and hunger, the end of armed conflicts, the value of human beings above capital and the preservation of the environment”. (Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations)