On behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Minister of People’s Power for Women and Gender Equality, Carolyz Pérez, participated on Tuesday in the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, where she reaffirmed the South American nation’s commitment to the inclusion and non-discrimination of women, and presented the progress made in this area.
In her statement, the Venezuelan minister stressed that “amid the cruel emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more urgent than ever for the States, grass-roots movements, international organizations and other social bodies to include and give precedence to equality and gender approach as a foundation in their activities, creating participation and decision-making spaces, and strengthening awareness about the leading role of and progress made by women […] in all social, economic and political spheres.”
Pérez condemned again the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US Government and its allies against Venezuela as they prevent Venezuelan women from accessing health, food and technology basic services, and “many other benefits they could enjoy if it weren’t for the destroying eagerness of the rabid promoters” of these measures aimed at inflicting pain and suffering.
Despite these attacks against the Venezuelan women and people, the Venezuelan minister pointed out that the Bolivarian Government has made great progress “in the legal actions and the effective application of policies on gender equality, giving precedence to the participation of women and the protection of those women in a vulnerable situation.”
In this regard, Pérez said that Venezuela allocates 76.4% of the national budget to social investment, and recalled the recent allocation of resources, approved by President Nicolás Maduro, to equip 200 pregnancy care/assistance centers as part of the National Plan of Humanized Childbirth and Breastfeeding, in addition to 140,000 petros (Venezuelan cryptocurrency) to support policies on assistance/care for women and girl.
“The strong commitment of President Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan State’s assistance for women is reflected in the increase of innovative mechanisms to move forward with massive housing, food and education programs for popular sectors and the population in general,” added the Venezuelan minister for Women and Gender Equality.
Finally, she reaffirmed Venezuela’s commitment to the values of inclusion and justice. “This is a time not only for solidarity and international cooperation, of inclusive, effective multilateralism, but also for decisive actions and renewed political will to guarantee no woman, adolescent or girl is left behind,” she urged.
The 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 15 to 26 March 2021 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by ECOSOC resolution 11(II) of 21 June 1946.