Very daring norms exist in Cuba, such as those that regulate time so that parents can devote to the care of the family who needs it, Rosa Campoalegre, an expert from the Center for Psychological and Sociological Research, told Prensa Latina in an exclusive interview.

She added that other areas of public policy achievements are those related to services to provide care, in which new economic actors have appeared to revitalize a scenario where the State had been the main provider until now.

The expert pointed out that in Cuba much progress has been made in monetary policies through subsidies and access to resources, although the approach to focus on women’s responsibility predominates.

In this regard, she said that several policies have been implemented for cultural transformation, but there is still a long way to go along this path. As an example, she noted that although legally men can take leave of absence to care for children and dependent persons, very few opt for it in practice.

Campoalegre said that this situation proves that in the social imaginary a male chauvinist pattern prevails with regard to family care that gives women the main responsibility for providing it, although reality has overcome these myths.

Care has a great diversity of contexts, modes and types, constitutes a universal right and this means not only that we all need it throughout our lives, but also that we must pay for it, be supportive and provide it regardless of our gender.

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