Women in Cuba
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Women in Cuba have equal constitutional rights as men in the economic, political, cultural and social fields, as well as in the family. According to article 44 of the Cuban Constitution, the state guarantees women the same opportunities and possibilities as men, in order to achieve woman’s full participation in the development of the country. Women currently hold 35% of the parliamentary seats in the Cuban National Assembly ranking sixth of 162 countries behind Rwanda, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark on issues of female participation in political life. [1]
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[edit] History
In the first half of the 20th Century, women in Cuba had achieved a status comparable with that of other more educationally advanced Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Chile. In 1933, during the 100-day government of Ramón Grau, Cuban women received the vote. In 1934 the percentages of Cuban women working outside the home, attending school, and practicing birth control surpassed the corresponding percentages in nearly every other Latin American country.
Women in Cuba had been elected to Cuba's House of Representatives and Senate, Serving as mayors, judges, cabinet members, municipal counselors, and members of the Cuban foreign service. The return of Grau to government, under the auspices of President Fulgencio Batista provided for the Cuban Constitution of 1940, one of the most progressive in the Western Hemisphere with regard to women's status, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex and calling for equal pay for equal work.
After the Cuban revolution of 1959, the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) was established as an NGO. The FMC was recognised by the Cuban government as "the national mechanism for the advancement of women in Cuba". The organization claims to have more than 3 million members, which constitutes 85.2% of all women over age 14. There is also a Women’s Training Centre and a Women’s Publishing House at national level. The group generally adheres to the Cuban government's objectives "to defend the Cuban Revolution". According to Cuban government statistics, women represent 49.5% of all graduates at higher educational levels and 62% of university students. Women constitute 35% of Parliamentary members, 61% of attorneys, 49% of judges, and 47% Judges in the Supreme Court. Abortion in Cuba is free on demand, and optional maternity leave is one year on full pay.
[edit] Constitutional Changes
Cuba has implemented a number of constitutional changes and laws aimed to guarantee rights specifically for women these include:
- Maternity Leave (1974)
- The Family Code (1975) established the official goal of equal participation in the home,
- Law for the Protection and Hygiene in the Workplace (1977)
- Law on Social Security (1979)
- Code on Childhood and Youth (1984)
- Labour Code (1985)
- National Action Plan for the Implementation of the 1V UN Conference on Women (1977)
- Law #62 on the Penal Code (1987) - Article 295 recognises discrimination based on any reason and the violation of the right of equality as a crime.
