As an important pillar in each process of history and life, women are present. A voice silenced for many centuries, where absolute patriarchy was the watchword, increased the desire to fight for her rights and her place in society. In the 21st century there is still a long way to go in this regard, but without a doubt the progress, the massiveness and the strength in the struggle is decisive.
The struggle
Our little island has not been excluded from this historical process. For the Cuban women of past centuries, the struggle to assert their opinion was also an important task, and they did not sit idly by as far as the freedom of the Homeland was at stake. Women were present in each of our independence feats, in the front line of combat. In the battlefield, taking care of bullet wounds, in each field hospital, or from the cities creating the supply networks for the Liberation Army. The 20th century saw a Cuban woman grow up worthy of her time, marching against the puppet governments, fighting and bleeding for her land, for her freedom and her rights. There were not a few that took their step forward in every corner of Cuba. Immense was the courage of our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, all Cuban women.
With the triumph of the Revolution in 1959, women were one of the sectors of the population that benefited the most. They had several organizations that grouped them depending on the sectors to which they belonged, until they saw the birth of the organization that would unify them without any distinction, support their interests and enforce their rights. The “object woman” was left behind, the one who was only destined to procreate or taking care of the house, the one who only had her body as the breadwinner of her family.
The founding
On August 23rd, 1960, the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC, by its acronym in Spanish) was created, under the tutelage of Vilma Espín Guillois, who would lead its ranks until her death in 2007, and the unconditional support of Fidel Castro, who did not allow for any reason to be absent at the time of the founding. The incorporation of women into society and employment, in addition to making them prominent participants in the program of social and economic changes taking place in the country, were the main objectives of the FMC from the first moments of its creation.
The magazine “Women” would be its official communication organ and its first issue was published on November 15th, 1961. The FMC has a territorial structure, divided by national, provincial and municipal levels. The only requirement that any Cuban woman must meet to be part of its ranks is to have reached the age of 14. Among the great organizational achievements are the formulation of laws that involve and favor women, the discussion and elaboration of the Family Code.
Fidel actively participated in all the determining processes of the organization, giving women the value and legacy they have within our social project. The Commander-in-Chief defined Cuban women as “a revolution within the Revolution itself”, and on the founding of the Federation he expressed: “… one more victory for our people, one more force for our people.”
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
