Havana, August  23 (RHC)-- This Friday marks the 59th anniversary of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), an organization that has played a great role in the defense and protection of women's rights.

The eastern province of Guantánamo will host the central ceremony marking the anniversary,  which will highlight the active and direct involvement of Cuban women in all stages of the island's history, starting with the wars for the country's independence, the conquests of the Revolution, as well as their efforts to attain gender equality.

According to the FMC General Secretary in Guantanamo, Daysi Véliz, women constitute a vital link in the economic and social development of the nation.

In Cuba, women make up more than 60 percent of the labor force and more than 65 percent of professionals, and they hold 80 percent of education jobs, 69 percent in health care, and 66 percent in the legal field.

Currently, the Caribbean island exhibits one of the highest number of parliamentarians, with 53 per cent of the deputies in the National Assembly of People's Power being women.