CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Statement by the Head of The Delegation of Cuba to the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

Yolanda Ferrer Gómez,
Member of the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba,
Deputy in the National Assembly of People’s Power and Secretary General of the Federation of Cuban Women

New York, 2010.

Mr. Chairman,

First and foremost, allow me to greet you and the Bureau that will conduct the works of this significant session of the Commission, aimed at reviewing the implementation of the important agreements emanated from the Fourth World Conference on Women, precisely when this year marks 15 years of its successful holding in Beijing.

The holding of this meeting is particularly important as we are aware of the hard times humankind is facing. The current situation shows us a world that has suffered and suffers a globalized and deep economic crisis that particularly affects, in a devastating way, our Third World countries, including women who are victims of multiple discriminations and forms of violence, namely wars and conflicts, invasions, foreign occupation, imposition of blockades, labor exploitation, inequities, social exclusion and environmental devastation due to the irresponsibility and selfishness of those who should implement rational policies to avoid approaching catastrophes.

Today more than ever, international solidarity must prevail. In our region, the catastrophe suffered by Haiti moves us all and calls to action. For 11 years, over 400 Cuban healthcare collaborators have been working there and, we immediately sent another medical brigade led by a woman and integrated by Cubans and graduated or undergraduate students from our Latin American School of Medicine. Today, the number of those working along the Haitian sister nation amounts to over 1,400.

In addition to this tragedy, a powerful earthquake just shook various regions of Chile. This has deeply shocked us, since we share strong bonds of friendship with its people. To them, our message of condolences and solidarity.

Mr. Chairman,

This meeting will be important for millions of women worldwide as long as long as it is held with the required depth and effectiveness.

It is indisputable that numerous actions and initiatives have been taken, as well as mechanisms and plans with a gender perspective. However, there are still many obstacles and huge challenges, therefore, the goals must be more ambitious and the alliances more effective to strengthen cooperation. In this regard, women’s movements must play a key role.

There are unquestionable advances, mainly at a promulgation level of a legal and institutional framework for the protection of women’s rights in all spheres, closely linked to the critical areas of concern contained in the Platform for Action, but it must be implemented. It is observed how in many places actions fade away or decrease and disappear, due to the lack of political will and mainly of resources. For all these reasons, we have to work harder and with the perspective to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which have absolute validity and should continue to be the international normative and political framework to promote the Advancement of Women.

Latin America and the Caribbean, through the ECLAC Regional Conference to be held this June, in Brasilia, will also review the implementation and impact of the follow-up to Beijing.

If the commitments concerning resources and the implementation of the Official Development Assistance are not brought to fruition, the plans and programs would not be met and the agreements of the Fourth Conference would be dead letter. This objective constitutes the backbone to defeating and eliminating poverty, illiteracy and inequities prevailing worldwide. We must defend the need for a lasting peace, a sustainable development, just and equitable for all, aimed at eradicating the current levels of poverty in the world. As long as the preservation of the environment, peace and the respect for all is not a reality, there will be no substantial progress or effective benefit for women.

Mr. Chairman,

The genocidal economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed in a unilateral, illegal and extraterritorial fashion by the US Government against my country constitutes the biggest form of violence against Cuban women. This hostile policy has been rejected 17 consecutive times by the United Nations General Assembly.

Despite being imposed for over half a century, this criminal blockade has not impeded the progress of our heroic people that champions decisively its achievements, its right to sovereignty, self-determination and its socialist system, to which Cuban women owe what we are today.

Even the Committee for the Elimination of all forms of Violence against Women, in its final comments to the latest Cuban Report, stated that: "the effects of the blockade are reflected in the predominant difficult economic and social situation of the country that has had repercussion for women in regards to the enjoyment of their rights, particularly in the socioeconomic sphere, impeding the full application of the Convention."

That is true. However, Cuban women can show some substantial progress as a result of the Cuban social project of justice and equity for all, aimed at creating the conditions for a sustainable development by allocating our limited resources to healthcare, education, social security, and to ensuring employment. This is the result of the political will of the Government that has made possible that women in particular, benefit directly from of programs and plans enabling their active insertion in the economic, political, social and cultural life of the country

Since 1997, in Cuba, upon agreement by the Council of State, the National Action Plan to follow-up the Beijing Conference was passed, and this year we are preparing for the third review process.

Women continue advancing in the full exercise of the equal rights and opportunities, which constitutes a fundamental issue in the social program of my country. Women play important roles in the economy, where we are 46.7% of the employees in the state civilian sector, 67% of the university graduates, 65.7% of the technicians and professionals, more than 70% of the health and education workers, 51% of the researchers, and 56% of the judges. There are advanced education and health programs benefiting women and men equally, universal services free of charge, including those of family planning, fully respecting the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights, with a guaranteed sexual education and an advanced Maternity Leave that can be shared between the father and the mother.

Fifteen years after the holding of the Fourth World Conference on Women, beyond doubt, qualitative and quantitative positive changes have taken place in the participation of women in the political life of the country and in decision-making position levels. This is an issue that gives credit and highlights the role of women in the society. Cuba shows statistics that surpasses the agreements made in the Beijing Platform for Action.

In the latest elections (2008), women representation in the National Assembly of People’s Power (Parliament) reached 43.32%, making Cuba the fourth place worldwide. We are 40% of the Council of State, and for the first time a woman, the Comptroller General, was elected Vice-president of the Council of State of the Republic. The number of women Ministers has continued to increase; they are 7, representing 28%, and 46 Deputy-ministers, representing 30%. Even when it is a challenge to continue advancing in the promotion of women to managerial positions, in general, in the category of political and administrative leaders, the percentage of women is 40%. Certainly, these results are linked directly to the strategic objectives of the Cuban State regarding gender equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination.

We reaffirm the right to development and its realization is essential to implement the international agreements in which our governments must respond affirmatively, and to play a decisive role along with international bodies and organizations.

The call made in Beijing and the commitment to devote 0.7% of the GDP of developed countries for Official Development Assistance, is still a pending task, a yearning and demand of our peoples and a dishonor for those who, disregarding the fair aspirations and necessities of our impoverished countries, have enriched themselves trough the plunder and exploitation. The achievement of these purposes is very closed related to the principles and inalienable rights contained and upheld in the Charter of the United Nations, the right to sovereignty and self-determination of peoples to choose and defend their own paths, in the framework of respect and cooperation, without any conditioning whatsoever.

Today, we reaffirm the full validity of the Beijing Platform for Action. It constitutes an imperative challenge to build fairer societies, committed to the advancement of women, dedicated to reinforce the struggle against poverty, to the reduction and elimination of the foreign debt, against the shameful arm race and the excessive military expenditures, expenses to the detriment of development, for a true cooperation based on solidarity benefitting those in need, millions of women that around the world fight for the survival of their families, against all forms of discrimination and violence, for a healthier planet, with an unpolluted environment,  free of wars and conflicts.

Cuba will continue engaging in the negotiations relative to the creation of a new UN gender architecture. We will work for it to meet the true interests of all women in the world, and to be in line with the principle of universality. We reiterate once again the Commission on the Status of Women is the main organ of the United Nations to follow-up the implementation of the objectives of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and therefore it should be the guidance body for the new entity.

Mr. Chairman,

We are convinced that only in the unity and the junction of efforts and wills of the international community, governments, financial organizations and women’s movements lies the hope of implementing the Beijing agreements and the achievement of the true equality between men and women, that is our immediate and future commitment.

We Cuban women along with the world strong and effervescent social movement and especially women’s movement, join all fair causes and the fight for a more equitable and just economic order, where all of us could live in peace, as owners of our fates and convinced that a better world is necessary and possible.

Thank you.