WOMEN ROLE IN PEACEKEEPING RELEVANT

March 7, 2003 – (Angola Press Agency - Luanda) Angolan women have a relevant role to play in the education of the society towards the preservation of the country's so hardly achieved peace.

This was said today in Luanda by the ambassador of Cuba to Angola, Noemi Benítez de Mendonza.

Speaking to ANGOP in an allusion to the March 8, World Woman Day, the diplomat recalled the role Angolan women played in the history of the country and emphasized the need for effort to consolidate the peace.

She also hailed the conquests already achieved by the Angolan women and wished them to attain levels of development as those achieved by the Cuban women.

Noemi de Mendonza mentioned that it was not easy for the Cuban women to reach their current level of development as, she added, at the time of revolution, most of them were illieterate. Only 12 percent were employed, mainly as teachers and nurses and 200.000 were housewives, she stressed.

On the occasion of the March 8, Noemi Bernítez expressed her solidarity towards the women from the world over, especially those from West Sahara, Palestine and Iraq. The former because of the ongoing self-determination conflict and the latter ones for the threat of war hanging over them.

Noemi, who for the first time holds extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador functions, has already fulfilled other missions in Angola and Ethiopia, having for 15 years been her country's deputy minister for cooperation. She holds a degree in economics.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200303070590.html