Mexican Senator Gabriela Cuevas on Women’s Empowerment
Marking International Women’s Day on March 8, AS/COA Online looks at a recent interview with Cuevas and her work to promote women’s participation in the workforce.
March 8 marks International Women’s Day, celebrating the achievements of women worldwide. In February, AS/COA was excited to host a private event for Mexican Senator Gabriela Cuevas, who has worked on gender issues throughout her career. During her visit, AS/COA’s Andrés Sada interviewed Cuevas, who was first elected as a congresswoman at age 22 and won her senate seat at age 33. She currently heads the Mexican Senate’s International Relations Committee.
In the interview, Cuevas discussed initiatives she worked on to allow women to gain independence through employment and an independent source of income:
“I believe the most important achievements were when I governed [the Mexico City borough] Miguel Hidalgo and we expanded the daycare center network by 40 percent. We changed the entire educational program including nutrition, since it’s a critical age for child development. This also has to do with giving opportunities to women in order for them to be able to work. When women leave the home to work, they become much more self-sufficient and independent in making decisions. In the Federal District, one out of every three homes is headed by a woman. So these policies for daycare centers were very important.”