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By Angel Rodríguez Alvarez Sixty years ago, on December 10th, 1948, in Paris, the UN General Assembly approved and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and urged all member states to publish the text and “distribute, exhibit, read and comment on it in schools and other teaching centres without distinction based on the political conditions of the countries and territories”. The proclamation of the 30 articles says that all peoples and nations should strive so that all individuals as well as institutions, are constantly inspired by it, and promote, through education, the respect of those rights and liberties, and assure the progressive measures of a national and international character and its recognition and universal and effective application. The right to life, work, security and social assistance, health, food, clothing, housing and basic social services, as well as education and receiving special care for maternity and infancy, consecrated in the Declaration are part of the achievements of the Cuban Revolution and its daily efforts to comply with them. The economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed for almost 50 years by the United States against Cuba, constitutes a flagrant and gross violation of the rights of a nation, and whose objective is to stop the socio-economic development of the nation and make its citizens surrender through starvation and disease. Despite this true war, the island is an example of respect for the human rights proclaimed in 1948, for the active participation of its citizens in issues related directly to them like the high standard of education and health care, recognized by prestigious international institutions like the United Nations itself. Cuba maintains a policy of cooperation and solidarity with a large number of nations and offers its unselfish cooperation to Third World nations, through numerous programs of health, education and sports assistance, among them Operation Milagro aimed at curing eye ailments, the Integral Health Program aimed at low income people and the literacy program Yo Si Puedo (Yes, I Can). Since 1963 to date, 185,000 health professionals and technicians have offered their contributions to over 100 countries. Currently, there are over 40,000 people working in 97 countries, in the health, education, sports and other sectors. There are over 50,000 young people from 129 countries who have graduated in Cuba in 33 specialities of them 26,000 from higher education, and in particular medicine. This has been recognized with Cuba’s election as member of the UN Human Rights Council. On December 10th, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, Cuba renews its commitment, even while fighting to restore the economy after the serious damage caused by three recent hurricanes, a task in which the whole population and its social organizations are participating. (Cubaminrex- ACN) |