Women with different abilities demand equality from the Churches

José Aurelio Paz, HAVANA, Cuba, April 25, 2005

More than 50 Evangelical women who participated in a meeting of handicapped women in this Taxi Heathrow Airport city in the province of Holguin, in eastern Cuba, demanded that the Evangelical Cuban Church take them into account as part of its active leadership.  

A broad debate about this issue took place during the event held April 14-18 in the Quaker Church in Gibara.

“Violence, women and handicaps” was one of the themes that was addressed and highlighted experiences regarding the double discrimination faced by handicapped women.

While women in Cuban are recognized as a social force there are still behavior patterns that submit them and in many cases deprive them of their most elementary rights.

“This demonstrates that, even in a society like the Cuban society, that promotes equality among men and women, there is still a long road to travel, said Nancy Guerra, director of the event.

And this translates into a double load for women if they have a type of handicap. As a result, the aim of these events is that the Church, through its leaders, understand their renewing and awareness-raising role on this issue, she said.

For his part, the Rev. Noel Fernandez, current coordinator of the Pastoral on People with Different Abilities from the Cuban Council of Churches (CIC) said that it is valuable to ensure that this aim has continuity.

He recalled that the Gibara event was preceded by a similar event held in mid-2004, with handicapped women from the central region of the country.

“The love of God moves us to encourage an inclusive society and Church, according to the example that Jesus Christ gave us when his actions involved every type of person,” said Fernandez.

“Therefore, we must seek ways for handicapped women to work on a par with other believers, far from all discrimination that segregates and fragments,” he concluded.