José Luis Centella Gómez, general secretary of the Spanish Communist Party

FOR some time Spain has welcomed countless characters from the so-called internal dissidence of the Republic of Cuba, characters who are received by the highest-ranking state leaders, the President of Government included. By chance these leaders are not seen with Cubans who came at another time and are currently protesting to the Partido Popular government for not having fulfilled what it should have promised them, none other than certain privileges which they believe are merited by their work attacking what they call the Cuban regime. Well, in the midst of this pilgrimage, it is not a bad idea to place some issues on the table in order to understand what these characters are repeating.

The fundamental issue they are proposing is a debate on human rights as an aspect of their differences with the Cuban government, which justifies their dissident role. So let us enter into a debate on human rights in Cuba, without reservations, starting from the point of view that Cuba is not a paradise, has not solved all its problems, but highlighting issues as evident and confirmable, now accepted by the international community, which acknowledges that in the matter of human rights, despite the U.S. blockade and its immense economic and social cost, an issue which can be discussed at another time. Cuba is one of the few countries to have fulfilled a large number of the objectives established in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), including a low infant and maternal mortality rate in the country.

Concretely, we can highlight that Cuba has already attained goal No.1, on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; No. 2, achieving universal education; and No 4, which proposes reducing mortality in children under five years of age. It is advancing significantly on No. 3, on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In this context, it is worth noting that Cuba is a country with a high human development index, occupying the 51st place among 187 countries, according to the 2011 Human Development Report. Additionally, according to the non-economic human index, it is at 17th place at global level, being the developing country with the highest results.

Particularly outstanding is the dimension of the right to health in the Republic of Cuba. It is a reality that Cuba continues guaranteeing universal and free access to public health. In 2012 it achieved an infant mortality rate of 4.6 per 1,000 live births, the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this same year, the maternal mortality rate was 21.5 per 100,000, placing it among the lowest at the international level, and the vaccination program guaranteed one of the broadest immunization coverages in the world, preventing 13 illnesses. This has contributed to the elimination of malaria, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, neonatal tetanus and tubercular meningitis. Despite the restrictions imposed by the U.S. blockade in terms of acquisition of recourses and technology, research into vaccines against cholera, dengue and HIV, among others, has progressed.

In relation to the right to education, the UNESCO Follow-Up Report on Education for All (2011) recognizes Cuba’s high educational development, and places it 14th in the world in its Education for All index.

Cuba continues promoting a preventive focus in terms of education and social reinsertion in order to avert crime. Preventive work in schools is focused on the combating drug use and psychopharmaceuticals, the elimination of inappropriate social behavior, good use of the native language, education in ethical values, and the development of a responsible sexual conduct. Services in the form of help lines for the prevention of drug use and sexual education with a focus on gender and rights are being further developed.

I also wish to note the advances in relation to the right to adequate nutrition, an aspect which is currently facing a period of crisis. A new agro-industrial policy was adopted in 2012, which extends the spectrum of strategic lines of work in relation to this human right. A new model of economic management with a greater presence of non-state forms of production is being developed.

Despite the U.S. blockade, the crisis, the Cuba government still guarantees basic food products at subsidized prices for the entire population, which include a basic supply of grains, cereals, proteins, fat, salt and sugar, independently of income. One liter of milk is also guaranteed for all children aged 0-7 years. In 2010 alone, the cost of subsidizing the basic food supply amounted to $750 million, and the Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency Anemia, for children and mothers remains in place, maintaining this nutritional disorder at an extremely low rate. There is also Food Service on a subsidized basis for older adults, persons with disabilities and others at risk, all of this without the aid of international agencies received by other states.

As these advances are being made within the country, the collaboration Cuba offers internationally continues to develop:

1- In the area of health, as a novel aspect of the period, responding to new requests from other countries, between 2007 and 2010 Cuba actively participated in the Genetic and Psychosocial Clinical Study of Persons with Disabilities in Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela. The study’s objective was to promote the non-discriminatory inclusion of these persons in society.

Since 2004, Operation Miracle has returned sight to thousands around the world. As of January 2012, 2,261,987 surgeries had been performed in 34 Latin American, Caribbean and African countries. To maintain the program, some 47 ophthalmology centers and 59 surgical facilities have been established abroad, with 525 Cuban professionals working in 16 countries.

Since the creation of the Henry Reeve Brigade, the International Contingent of Doctors Specializing in Disaster and Serious Epidemics, 5,490 Cuban collaborators have provided medical assistance to more than three million affected persons and the number continues to grow. The Brigade has performed 33,800 surgeries and contributed to saving 468,000 lives.

It is also noteworthy that some 9,960 doctors from 58 countries have graduated from the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) and Heath Professionals School in Cuba, during the period between 2005 and 2011, while the 2011-2012 enrollment included 21,217 students from 122 countries studying Medicine (18,364), Psychology (1), Healthcare Technology (417), Nursing (362) and Dentistry (66), plus 207 pursuing post-graduate studies.

2- In education, Cuban cooperation is offered at various academic levels. Since 2004, to date, basic literacy instruction is offered through the Cuban programs "Yo, sí puedo" (UNESCO Rey Sejong prize), "Ya puedo leer y escribir" and "Yo, sí puedo seguir." As of November, 2012, some 6,950,693 persons had completed the first basic course and 975,837 the follow-up course. "Yo, sí puedo" has been implemented in 29 countries since its inception and is currently used in 16 in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and Canada.

I emphasize, because they are less well-known, advances made in terms of gender equality and the empowerment of women, recalling that Cuba was the first country to sign, and the second to ratify, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. In 2010, the Cuban government submitted a combined 7th-8th report to the committee established in accordance with the Convention.

As a result of government strategies directed toward promoting women in public office, the percentage of women in the National Assembly of People’s Power increased to 45%. Proportionately Cuba occupies the third position worldwide in terms of female parliamentarians, as reported by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIP), in January, 2012.

For the first time, women have assumed vice-presidencies on the Council of State and within the National Assembly of People’s Power. Nine of 15 provincial assemblies and nine ministries are headed by women, who additionally constitute 40% of Council of State members.

In 2011, women held 42.2% of leadership positions and represented 65.6% of the workforce within the country’s professional-technical sector. Women constitute 47.3% of the overall active workforce.

Sexual and reproductive rights, including the right to abortion and to make fertility decisions, are fully guaranteed and family planning services for men and women are accessible, free of charge and universally available. Among the challenges are continuing efforts to promote a gender perspective, to provide women with disabilities more employment opportunities, and eliminate sexist stereotypes in the national mindset. Through a national action plan to follow up on the Beijing Accords, the situation is being evaluated with the participation of government institutions and social organizations.

Finally, I would also like to cite the good practices implemented in preparedness for and mitigation of natural disasters, which seriously affect the country. Thanks to these efforts, loss of human life has been limited when hurricanes have struck the island. This was the case in 2008 when Cuba was impacted by three hurricanes and two tropical storms, causing damage valued at 10 billion dollars. Loss of human life was, however, much lower than in the United States, despite the disparity in resources available. The key is that, in Cuba, people are protected first, while in the U.S. private property is prioritized.