Family Code in Cuba: regardless of what makes us different

Kirenia Magalis Díaz and her son Kely Maximiliano live in San José de Las Lajas, in western Cuba. For her, there are two places that should be very safe for children: “home and school, because there we give them protection and educate them. Home is the first place where boys and girls should feel happy, and one way (to achieve this) is for them to know that they can discuss any topic with us”.

Kyrenia knows this from her own experience. “My parents have been married for 42 years and, more than my parents, they are my friends. They decided to sit down with me, get to know my inner world, accompany me and not judge me (…) As I have had their support, I do not feel less or ashamed for being a lesbian”.

Adoptive mother of Kely, a boy who has lived with her for twelve years, Kirenia talks about how she and her partner take care of him with love. “Diana, my current partner, and I share custody and guardianship of the child. He is part of our core. He identifies us as his family, even though he knows he has another biological family”.

Her testimony will be part of a set of videos on respectful parenting that questions mothers, fathers and other caregivers of children and adolescents, about the challenges they face from their daily educational practices.

free from violence

The bell Measure yourself against violence in childhood and adolescenceof UNICEF Cuba, convened a group of families who want to raise their children without violence, to tell their experiences. Kirenia accepted, without hesitation.

“You have to talk to children about everything. They have to know the diversity of families that exist and learn to love people. He knows that we are a couple, that there are several types of couples and that having a certain sexual orientation is not a reason to discriminate or an obstacle that affects our bond, because I, his mother, love him”.

The recognition of the diversity of families in Cuba is an essential objective of the new Family Code, a bill submitted to a broad process of public discussion, whose final proposal must be taken to the Cuban Parliament and then to a popular referendum.

In the opinion of journalist and social activist Jesús Muñozit is an inclusive code, which multiplies rights“which recognizes what is happening culturally and socially in our society, in family dynamics and project initiatives and people who individually have been seeking a fuller life.”

Change social imaginaries

Jesus admits that no law alone will change reality, but bets that it does contribute to consolidating emerging social imaginaries.

Under that perspective, and Population Fund of the United Nations and the United Nations Children’s Fund have accompanied the different advocacy actions during the formulation and presentation of the preliminary draft of the Family Code and have supported technical meetings with the participation of experts.

It has also disseminated various audiovisual materials to promote sexual and reproductive rights, responsible parenthood, the eradication of gender-based violence and the fight against other discriminatory practices, including those against the LGBTIQ+ community.

For Yamila González Ferrer, vice president of the Union of Jurists of Cuba, the support of the United Nations System has been of great importance, “thanks to the presence of highly experienced personnel, the promotion of communicative actions, as well as the processes of exchange and national and international technical debate”.

UNDP

As part of the protection of the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, the United Nations Development Program in Cuba launched the Iguales initiative.

The hope of overcoming old taboos

At 40 years old, Kirenia looks at the Family Code with the hope of overcoming old taboos.

“We can stand on any stage with our heads held high, without fear of what they will say. We deserve the opportunity to be happy, to form our family nuclei legally, just as heterosexual couples do, and to legally represent the children we have around us.” our care.”

This report was written by Tamara Roselló, Mabel Olalde and Raúl Garcés