Federation of Cuban Women
The Federación de Mujeres Cubanas (FMC - German: Federation of Cuban Women ) is a mass organization whose policies and programs have the goal of promoting gender equality and emancipation of Cuban women in all sectors and levels of society. It was founded on 23 August 1960.
The FMC is composed of several existing before its founding women's organizations, who banded together to form a single federation. They include among others the Unidad Femenina Revolucionaria ( UFR - Revolutionary Women's Unit), which a large number of rural women in itself united, the Columna Agraria (country column ), the Brigada Femeninas Revolucionarias ( Female Revolution Brigades ), the Grupos de Mujeres Human Followings ( groups of humanistic women ) and the Hermandad de Madres ( Sisterhood of the mothers).
From the perspective of officials from the sister states of the Eastern Bloc, there was a remarkable culture of open discussion in the meetings of the FMC. However, all the unconditional support of Máximo Lider Fidel Castro had to subordinate themselves for Cuban women.
Structure and Organization
The FMC is based on a territorial structure. Based on the national, provincial and municipal levels, which are composed of full-time secretaries and committees operate the community organizations based on voluntary work.
The organization has around 3.6 million members. The minimum age to join the FMC is 14 years.
Every five years, holding the FMC from its congress, which is the highest body of the organization and discussed in the work results, adopted new strategies and programs, and the National Committee and their secretaries are elected.
The full-time secretariat comprises the President of the organization, the General Secretary, and three members who are responsible for the work areas of the organization: international relations, education and ideological orientation.
Since the long-standing president of the FMC and wife Raúl Castro, Vilma Espín, died in 2007, the presidency remains vacant in the long run. An image of officially as a heroine and role model for women of Cuba revered FMC- founder in uniform and with a rifle now forms the logo of the organization. As general secretary highest-ranking official of the Women's Association since October 2012 Teresa Amarelle Boué.
Trivia
According to UNICEF, the FMC is actively involved in the education of lack of support payments from parents to their children. Furthermore, in community-based organizations, the rights of children and women discussed and explained, and the responsibilities of parents.