Gender and Democracy in Cuba

In this comprehensive examination of Cuban gender politics and democracy, Ilja Luciak examines the indispensable roles women played in the Cuban revolution and traces the progress of women’s social and economic rights brought about by the early revolutionary government. Although the revolution proved successful in guaranteeing women’s formal political participation, it ironically inhibited public debate on how to transform prevailing gender relations. As a result, women hold very limited decision-making power in the current regime. Drawing on interviews with high-ranking Cuban officials and unprecedented access to data about dissidents and political prisoners, Luciak argues that democracy cannot be successfully consolidated without the full participation of women in the political process - and the support of men - both at the political and societal level.