( FMC) , and
the main goal is to promote the inclusion of women
in government responsibilities, where since 2002,
their representation is 23.37%.
Sonia Beretervides, a member of the FMC’s
national secretariat, explained that a broad
promotion plan is being carried out in every region
of the country so that a larger number of women will
be nominated as neighborhood delegates,
administrative councilmembers and members of
municipal assemblies.
"We know that this is a challenge for our
comrades who are also mothers and wives; that is why
we also aim to promote greater gender awareness,"
Beretervides explained.
"In 2004, the FMC had the largest membership in
history – 4,061,728 – and as we observe March 8 this
year, the FMC is also increasingly participating in
the country’s social and political life," the leader
remarked.
This organization has managed to enroll 86.7% of
Cuban women 14 and over.
The most prominent aspect of the FMC’s
involvement is the work carried out by its mass of
volunteer workers, who project and base their labors
primarily on the community. Outstanding among these
groups is the active participation of 76,168 public
health brigadistas (brigade members) and
76,215 volunteer social workers.
"With such a large membership and so many
activities, which go beyond women and include
families, children, teen-agers and other social
issues, if we don’t have grassroots commitment, it
is impossible to achieve these results," pointed out
Beterevides.
Cuban women occupy a broad range of jobs, and
their participation in different occupational
categories is continuing to grow. According to
official data from the National Statistics Office
( ONE) , women’s
presence is particularly great in the administrative
sector, given that they hold 84.8% of those jobs.
Even more significant is the fact that they form the
absolute majority among highly skilled people in the
country, given that they make up 66.4% of
technicians and professionals.
Likewise, women hold 45.2% of public sector jobs
– the largest sector in the national economy – and
36% of the nation’s management positions.
In 2004, more than 57,000 women obtained new jobs,
which represent 51.5% of new jobs during that period,
while 69,908 young women enrolled in the General
Education Courses for Young People.
According to Beretervides, the institutional
support offered to women by the Revolution over the
last 45 years has been very important. "The process
has benefited and accompanied the entire period of
women’s social achievements in Cuba," she commented.
It is precisely this year that the FMC is
celebrating the 45th anniversary of its founding by
President Fidel Castro Ruz, and thus will carry out
a large number of special events.
