{"id":225410,"date":"2020-08-01T11:55:50","date_gmt":"2020-08-01T15:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=225410"},"modified":"2020-08-01T11:56:51","modified_gmt":"2020-08-01T15:56:51","slug":"no-one-will-be-left-unprotected-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/opinion\/columns\/no-filter\/no-one-will-be-left-unprotected-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"No one will be left unprotected? (II)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In part one<\/a> of this text, I insisted that the discussion on social policy should be synchronous with that of economic policy.<\/p>\n

I said that, for this, four fields need urgent attention. I paused on the first two: consider the effects of the foreign exchange market for inequality and see to impoverished social groups or those most vulnerable to falling into poverty.<\/p>\n

Now I analyze the remaining two: consider the inequalities that constitute the non-state sector and open the debate and economic policy to the consideration of unpaid work as work and part of the economy.<\/p>\n

Based on these reflections, I propose a decalogue of recommendations that constitutes a starting point for intervening in Cuban inequality orders, as well as in those of the economy.<\/p>\n

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  1. Consider the inequalities that constitute the non-state sector of the economy, which will now be promoted<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ensuring protection is essential and says a lot of the egalitarian will that organizes, or not, the life of a country, a home, an enterprise, a community. At the same time, it\u2019s important to ensure equal opportunities to face crises as economic and social agents and not only as subjects of social protection. It\u2019s not a matter of minimums, but of capacity, possibility and opportunity to be actors in this process, for the good of the national and domestic economies.<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s why we need to also think about the way in which people can be integrated into the economic sectors that the reform announces will be promoted.<\/p>\n

    The proposed economic roadmap includes the intention of expanding the role of the non-state sector and promoting its reproduction. To do this, the path will be: a) expansion of the activities allowed in the private sector and flexibility of their content, b) recognition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with the capacity to associate with forms of state ownership and c) relaunching the process to encourage the creation of cooperatives. In the absence of conscious and intentional policies, the possibilities opened up by the strengthening of these sectors will be taken advantage by some groups, while others will remain on the margins.<\/p>\n

    According to the figures of the 2019 Statistical Yearbook<\/a>, women represent only 17.99% of those who work in the non-state sector of the economy. Apparently, they have more barriers than men to access these spaces, since in the state sector the gap is much lower (45.77% of women compared to 54.23 of men). In non-agricultural cooperatives, women are 16.57% and in self-employment, 33.95%.<\/p>\n

    The unequal participation in these sectors is due to different related reasons: discriminatory social norms, less access to property and initial assets<\/a> to start a business, care overload<\/a> and lack of public services to guarantee it<\/a>, absence of co-responsibility between men and women to ensure domestic and care work in homes, as well as lack of guarantee of labor rights<\/a>, especially in the private sector.<\/p>\n

    Economic debate in Cuba: first and second planes (II)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n