Mr. President,
Domestic violence against women and girls remains one of the most common and widespread forms of gender-based violence.
Our country is not exempt from these challenges. However, tremendous efforts are being made to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence. In Cuba, there is no impunity, nor will there ever be impunity, for such acts.
We have a robust legal framework to address this phenomenon, provide assistance to victims, and facilitate their rehabilitation and effective reintegration into society.
The Constitution of the Republic recognizes the State's responsibility to protect individuals from all forms of gender-based violence.
Since 2021, Cuba has been implementing a Comprehensive Strategy for the Prevention of and Response to Gender-Based Violence and Violence in the Family Setting.
We also have a comprehensive Protocol for Action in Cases of Discrimination, Violence and Harassment in the Workplace.
The reform of the criminal justice system incorporated a cross-cutting approach to addressing gender-based violence and established more severe penalties for all acts of gender-based violence.
In 2023, the Office of the Public Defender was established with the mandate to protect, guarantee and restore the rights of persons in vulnerable situations, including victims of violence.
The criminal and illegal blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, further aggravated by a brutal energy siege, constitutes an act of extreme violence against Cuban women and girls, who endure prolonged power outages and daily hardships affecting access to food, water, health care, transportation, public services, education and other essential services.
It is imperative to put an end to these inhumane measures, which inflict devastating and disproportionate harm on the women and girls of our country.
Thank you.