Cuba attended regional meeting on environment

HAVANA, Cuba, May 12 (ACN) A Cuban delegation participated in the II Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Gender and Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of the region, held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

Adianez Taboada Zamora, deputy minister of Science, Technology and Environment, and Martha Rodríguez Uratsuka, vice president of the Environment Agency, who represented Cuba, learned that the continent is home to some 335 million women and girls, of whom at least 63 million live in rural areas and in direct and constant interaction with the environment, although there are still great gaps in terms of their ability to fully exercise their rights, including access to and control over natural resources.

The current situation in the region is also marked by the burden of unpaid domestic and care work and the health problems caused by pollution, insecurity, gender-based violence and limited political influence, even if women often spearhead local environmental and land protection movements in countries where the threats against and assassination of leaders engaged in nature advocacy.

In these circumstances, the United Nations Environment Program deems overcoming gender gaps essential for sustainable development and, therefore, takes steps to make visible the key role that women play in sustainable management of natural resources in Latin America and the Caribbean.