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“As a woman, I feel empowered now”

Progress on LGBTIQ+ rights in Cuba

May 16^th, 2024

ESPAÑOL

Although LGBTIQ+ people have been part of society since ancient times, achieving full equality remains an elusive goal for all nations worldwide.

Even today, sexual relations between adults of the same sex are illegal in 62 countries and punishable by death in 12.

Cuba is striving to break down the barriers to inclusion and is committed to guaranteeing all people’s right to live free from violence, persecution, discrimination, harassment and stereotyping, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Respect, a cure for stigmatization

Omar Parada is gay. For a long time, he was afraid of going to the dentist, even when he really needed an appointment. It wasn’t pain or the dentist’s drill that he was worried about: he was scared of being refused treatment altogether.

For ages, Omar witnessed discriminatory practices among medical staff despite ethical and professional regulations that require them to provide treatment to everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

With the support of UNDP and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) has implemented several initiatives to change attitudes and prejudices in primary health centres. The Iguales [Just the same] campaign is one example. These programmes seek to promote ethical values, cooperation and empathy among doctors, nurses, mental health workers, technicians, managerial staff, civil servants, medical students and teachers. “The success of a health service depends on positive behaviour and attitudes among all the professionals it employs,” says Dr Jackelin Sánchez.

Omar is a campaign volunteer and coordinates the Network of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Granma Province. He helps to promote this paradigm shift by running workshops for medical students and people from the community.

At the legal level, the government is also taking steps toward updating several aspects of the constitution with the aim of reducing some of the legal factors that underlie the socioeconomic, cultural and symbolic exclusion experienced by LGBTIQ+ people in Cuba. One such milestone was reached in 2022, when same-sex marriage was legalized.

Social justice is also being promoted through initiatives such as Masculinidades Cómplices de la Igualdad de Género [Supportive Masculinities].

Julio César Rodríguez Cardona, one of the participants, described his experience:

“As a man, I felt the need to educate others and promote change through my own personal transformation and that of my community.”

Through this initiative, he and other men from different backgrounds who work in a range of fields have been trained to combat structural gender inequalities, promote the transformation of power relations and thus help dismantle patriarchy and its manifestations of violence and discrimination, including by analyzing and overcoming homophobia and internalized transphobia.

This project has influenced local development strategies in places like Havana province, where economic and social planning strategies include key priorities to combat gender discrimination. “When participants return to their communities and become models of positive masculinity, they can help promote gender equality policies in their areas,” said Ivan Zverzhanovski, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Cuba.

An epidemic of discrimination

Cuba has made progress in addressing HIV, but attitudes of stigma and discrimination towards those who suffer from it persist. Socially, they face stigmatization, which limits their access to basic services.

In this context, UNDP is backing initiatives aimed at diminishing gender and human rights-related obstacles that impede the access of the most vulnerable individuals to HIV services.

One such endeavour involves bolstering legal counseling services (SOJ) for key populations. Legal specialist Zulendrys Kindelán explains that these services connect people living with HIV and those at risk of contracting it with mechanisms and procedures that allow them to demand their rights be respected when they experience discrimination, stigmatization or violence.

These services are a source of hope for people like Lázaro Mena, who experience discrimination at work because of his sexual orientation:

“It was a really hard time for me. I got my first job when I was 17, but nothing like this had ever happened to me. There were days when I couldn’t eat. I didn’t know where to turn until someone told me about the legal services programme. I have a lot to thank them for because they helped me deal with the situation really quickly.”

While his case was being handled, Lázaro received psychological support for the emotional impact he was experiencing and learned about the legal options available to him to defend himself against harassment and violence in the workplace. He is now the manager at his workplace and has not experienced harassment or discrimination since.

UNDP's assistance in breaking down gender and human rights barriers, as a component of the National HIV Response, also involves strengthening healthcare systems, especially primary care, alongside key population organizations. This aims to enhance the accessibility and quality of HIV prevention, diagnosis and care.

Through this collaboration, in 2023, among other achievements, over 146,000 people received prevention services, and more than 168,000 received HIV diagnostic services. Additionally, 86.4 percent of people living with HIV received antiretroviral treatment, with 88.7 percent of them achieving viral suppression.

Other programmes include Visitador@s [Visitors], run by MINSAP with support from UNDP and the Global Fund, which provides door-to-door information on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Cuba efforts against HIV date back a long way: the country was the first one in the world to receive validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) that it had eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Solidarity, something everyone should get involved in

We all have a part to play in improving the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people in our society. From initiatives empowering these individuals, to supporting inclusive policies, every act of solidarity helps build an environment where everyone can live with dignity – an endeavour in which UNDP and networks of Cuban civil society work together.

Lili Álvarez, a member of Transcuba, the network of trans people, couples, and families, proudly says: “As a woman, I feel empowered now.” All the same, she admits that her life hasn’t always been easy and that she has had to deal with stigma and discrimination because she identifies as a woman. At the age of 73, Fabiola Gastón has found the network to be a place of self-fulfillment. Since she joined, she says she has dressed as a woman with a greater sense of ease. She’s now a healthcare promoter and is happy to help others like her live a full life.

“We organize workshops on self-esteem, self-care and rights. People in the community trust our promoters. They feel like they’re with family,” says Yoilán Balón, the network’s deputy coordinator. That’s what these initiatives are about: people feeling like part of the family to ensure LGBTIQ+ people are fully integrated into society.

This social support not only provides a sense of belonging but also contributes significantly to the LGBTIQ+ community’s emotional and mental well-being. When people feel accepted and valued, they can develop their identities more authentically and take on challenges more confidently. In this context, solidarity is essential for promoting equality and well-being for all.

Leaving no one behind

UNDP’s work in Cuba reflects the commitment to equality and justice that guides our work around the world. From Pakistan to the Dominican Republic and the entire African continent, we’re working to ensure that all people can participate fully in society and access the resources to live with dignity, regardless of their gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

In 2019, we partnered with the World Bank to launch the LGBTI Index, which includes indicators in areas such as health, education, or political participation and is a benchmark for countries to measure their progress toward the full inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people. In this pivotal year for many countries, policymakers can draw on this guide to promote greater participation of the LGBTIQ+ community in election cycles. And this handbook offers tips, tools, and practical examples for promoting inclusive reforms.

Footnotes

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) is celebrated every year on May 17 to campaign for the elimination of punitive laws and end prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Share this story using the hashtag #IDAHOBIT.