Geneva, 10 December 2024. On International Human Rights Day, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to the protection of human rights for all. In the face of the cruel blockade imposed by the United States, Cuba shall continue its efforts to build an increasingly just, free, democratic, supportive, prosperous, and sustainable society.
Dignifying human beings and placing them as protagonists in the economic, political and social life of the country has been one of the great achievements of the Cuban socialist revolution. Our political will to provide equal opportunities and “achieve full justice” remains steadfast to this day.
Based on the Constitution, we have continued to strengthen the legal-institutional framework aimed at the protection and promotion of human rights, with various amendments and proposals tailored to the new needs and realities of Cuban society and international standards. In this regard, the recent adoption of the new Family Code is noteworthy.
The protection of the right to life has remained the highest priority. Work is underway to strengthen other achievements of the Revolution, such as the broad and universal access to 100% free and quality education and health coverage. Progress in gender equality, the fight against racial discrimination and greater recognition of the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community is being consolidated.
Cuba has further strengthened people's participation in decision-making and in exercising the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution and the laws, including civil and political rights, which are fully protected. In our country, we have a broad spectrum of ideas, and our people actively engage in debates on the most diverse topics concerning the nation’s political, economic, social, and cultural life.
Cuban civil society is becoming an increasingly important player on the national stage, with more than 2,200 organisations. These organisations continue to be granted extensive powers and capabilities to make proposal, consult, provide opinions, and participate in decision-making processes regarding the design, implementation, and assessment of high-impact social programmes, as well as in identifying remaining challenges.
A respectful dialogue, in accordance with the principles of objectivity, impartiality, and non-selectivity, along with respect for each people's self-determination to choose their own political, economic, social, and cultural system and development model, is the cornerstone of international cooperation in this area.
On the basis of these principles, Cuba has strengthened its cooperation with the United Nations mechanisms in the field of human rights. This year we submitted our ninth national report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which reflects our willingness to honour our commitments to the treaty bodies.
As part of this effort, Cuba must confront the severe limitations imposed by the opportunistic and deliberate tightening of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade by the United States government against our country, as well as Cuba's unjustified inclusion in the list of states allegedly sponsoring terrorism, which was condemned by 123 states during the fifty-sixth session of the Human Rights Council.
Additionally, foreign-funded, aggressive political-communication campaigns are proliferating, aimed at distorting our reality and subverting the constitutional order.
Despite these difficulties, the determination of our people and government to advance firmly and steadily in building an increasingly just, free, democratic, participatory, and supportive society, “with all and for the good of all,” prevails.