International Women’s day
News from Cuba | Monday, 8 March 2010
Summary of statements from the Cuban Federation of Cuban Women
Dear Sisters:
This year sees the 100th anniversary of the proposal of Clara Zetkin to celebrate International Women's Day. March 8 is a day of struggle for most women in the world demanding their right to live without discrimination, not to be ignored and battered, and to exist on an equal footing with men.
Women around the world share stories and struggles for life, land, justice, dignity, share knowledge and experiences. We are women who defend our culture from those who want to impose its power since colonial times, and today continue trying to colonize not only our territories but also our minds and our lives.
We live in a world that has suffered and suffers a deep global economic crisis, which particularly affects women, victims of multiple forms of discrimination and violence such as wars and armed conflicts, invasions, foreign occupation, imposition of blockades, exploitative employment, inequality and social exclusion.
The situation of women worldwide is still very difficult. Women account for 60% of the world's poor and two thirds of its illiterates.
In Cuba, despite the criminal blockade imposed by the United States government for over half a century, whose negative effects are combined with the global economic crisis, has not stopped the progress of our women, who together with the whole population strongly defend its socialist system, to which we owe what we are today.
We Cubans continue to take steps towards the full realization of equal rights and opportunities to occupy important spaces in our society.
We are currently 47% of employees in the civil state sector, 67% of college graduates, 66% of technicians and professionals, over 70% of health workers and education, 51% of all researchers and 56% of all judges. Women's representation in the People's Power National Assembly (Parliament) has reached 43.32% in the last election (2008), are 40% in the Council of State and first woman, the Comptroller General of the country, was also elected to the position of Vice President of the Council of State of our Republic. The number of female ministers has continued to grow and are now 7 to 28% and 46 deputy ministers, who represent 30%.
Undoubtedly, in Cuba there has been a qualitative and quantitative leap in the participation of Cuban women in political life and levels of decision making, something that brings prestige and underscores our role in society.
Sisters:
Cuban women are aware that international solidarity is peoples' right and responsibility of the international community and therefore, like all Cuban people, we are able to share our heritage and contribute to the realization of all rights human, including the right to develop other peoples and individuals.
We demand the return of our Five Brothers terrorist fighters imprisoned for 11 years in the United States, and for the right to Adriana and Olga to visit their husbands. We are joined by people across the world and we are convinced that only in unity and with the combination of effort, we will succeed in ending this injustice.
The global social movement and especially women, can count on Cuba. Without hesitation, we joined all the just causes and fighting for a fairer international economic order and equitable, where everyone can live together in peace, masters of our destiny and convinced that a better world is necessary and possible.
Women's movements and peoples of the world must unite, all over the world, against the policies of aggression; we must unite to confront the imperialism that being forwarded by the United States.
In solidarity, women worldwide will achieve a world full of life, justice and equity.
Long live International Women's Day!
