Venezuela proposes to revitalize ALBA-TCP Women’s Committee at High-ranking authorities meeting

At the Meeting of ALBA-TCP High-ranking Authorities on Women and Gender Issues on Wednesday, the Minister of People’s Power for Women and Gender Equality, Carolys Pérez, urged to revitalize the ALBA-TCP Women’s Committee and reaffirmed that Venezuela condemns the imposition of unilateral coercive measures.

In the company of the Foreign Ministry’s Vice-minister for Multilateral Affairs, Daniela Rodríguez, the Venezuelan Women Minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic adds to the crises the region is facing, and to the neoliberal, capitalist political decisions that have affected women, girls and adolescents in an exacerbated, differentiated way, with a special impact on health and education.

Pérez highlighted humanity is also facing a pandemic of violence against women, a gender-based violence, hence the importance of revitalizing the ALBA-TCP Women’s Committee “to turn it into a space to make the women’s rights and empowerment visible, highlight their leading role in our peoples and contribute to the transversalization of gender in the proposals and actions of this regional alliance.”

The Venezuelan minister explained that the unilateral coercive measures and criminal blockades against Venezuela, Cuba and other countries prevent millions of women, girls and adolescents from accessing basic health, food and technology services, among others.

“We will not give up,” said Pérez, who recalled that this year marks the Bicentenary of the Battle of Carabobo, a deed that sealed Venezuela’s independence.

“We are more determined than ever to be free,” she said.

Revolutionary Achievements

In her statement, the Venezuelan minister highlighted that, even amid difficulties, the Bolivarian Government allocates more than 70% of the national budget to social investment.

Regarding the protection of women, Pérez mentioned that the National Observatory of Violence against Women reactivated the 0800Mujeres (0800Women) phone service.

Likewise, she said that more than 500,000 women receive assistance from the National Plan of Humanized Childbirth and Breastfeeding, and that President Maduro allocated on March 8 resources to equip 200 pregnancy care/assistance centers.

Regarding women’s political participation, Minister Pérez said that women won over 40% of seas in the National Assembly in the December 6 parliamentary elections and are now promoting the reform of the Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence and leading the debate on the Law on Communal Cities, a project that includes the creation of Women’s Communal Centers in each commune.

The Bolivarian Government’s representative highlighted that the women’s right to a life free of violence is still one of the main challenges and that “the transformation of conscience is fundamental;” therefore, she said, Venezuela is fostering the creation of the Argelia Laya Feminist School of the South.