Cuba, Women and Internationalism - Speaking Tour to the UK June 2010 organised by Cuba Solidarity Campaign with support from the Nick Burdon & Denis Blockley Memorial Trust Fund
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) and in a busy short tour of the UK Carolina Amador and Ana Milagros Reilo of the Federation of Cuban Women spoke at 12 across 9 days in April 2010, addressing more than 1,000 people in eight cities.
Some of the highlights included:
Speaking at the Unison conference fringe meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Federation of Cuban Women, in June. They were also invited to speak to Unison Women’s Caucus meeting. Giving examples of some of the achievements during the last 50 years such as equal pay, exemplary maternity leave, women being 43 per cent of MPs, 67 per cent of graduates and 52 per cent of doctors, they said there were still many challenges to overcome. Carolina explained that although it was now possible for men and women to split six months of maternity between them, only 32 men had taken the opportunity to do so, even when their wives earned more than them as often was the case, because of the macho culture that still exists in society.
In Liverpool they updated Cuba and union activists on the work of the FMC and their success in reducing prostitution by its work as part of the National Commission which includes the Ministries of Justice, Health and Education. Prostitution had virtually disappeared after the revolution and was unseen in Cuba for decades but returned with the onset of mass tourism. The FMC has proposed that the Penal Code be amended to widen the definition of “pimp” to include anyone who facilitates prostitution in any way, including by renting a room.
They explained how a part of the Family Code was read out at the marriage ceremony to make it clear that men shared the responsibility for children and domestic work. However they said that, despite this, during the Special Period when food was very scarce, women took back the responsibility for cooking because the men tended to be lavish in the use of oil and spices and the women knew how to economise!
In Cardiff they met with members of the Latin American Friendship Group in the Welsh Assembly They were introduced to Christine Chapman AM, who also heads an equality group within the Assembly, and fruitful discussions were had around mutual concerns, developments and opportunities for Womens' movements both in Wales and Cuba. Later in the evening, Cymru Cuba, in conjunction with the United Nations Association held a very successful public meeting in the Temple of Peace. To a packed meeting room, Ana and Carolina, with the impromtu assistance of a fellow Cuban visitor who helped with translating, addressed some of the main developments in Cuba over the last 50 years, and the challenges still faced by illegal trade blockade. The following day, members of Cymru Cuba accompanied Ana and Carolina to the Women's Workshop, located in the Butetwon part of Cardiff, which aims to promote gender equality including running courses and events for women.
They also spoke at the Opening Plenary of the Northern Colleges Social Forum weekend in Barnsley, leading a workshop on Women’s Equality during the conference too.
As well as public meetings around the country they addressed an open meeting of SERTUC International Committee at Transport House in London the Compass Conference Latin America session and the Morning Star Conference at Congress House.
The tour was kindly sponsored by the Nick Burdon and Denis Blockley Memorial Trust.