"Younger generations face challenges specific to this historical moment."

Within the framework of the V International Congress of Researchers on Youth, organized by the Center for Youth Studies and the Union of Young Communists of Cuba from September 23 to 27 in Varadero, Cuba, María Isabel Domínguez, member of the CLACSO Steering Committee for Cuba, spoke with CLACSO.tv.

Domínguez referred to the policies aimed at young people in his country: “In 2023, a comprehensive policy for children, adolescents and youth was approved, and at this time work is underway on the development of a new code for these social groups, because in Cuba there is a code for children and youth, but it is already many years old and it is necessary to update it, precisely in light of the new challenges and opportunities.”

Regarding this, he explained: “In general, young people today, everywhere, face challenges specific to this historical moment. These challenges relate to new forms of inclusion and the challenges posed by technology. And of course, Cuba faces a difficult economic situation. Cuba is subject to the United States embargo, which has intensified in recent years. It was further strengthened during the pandemic. And even after the pandemic, these pressures have not been eliminated, making the conditions for the inclusion of young people complex.”

“Of course, there is a migration process underway, and the protagonists, as always, are the younger generations, because they are precisely the ones most likely to seek better opportunities in new horizons. Therefore, the challenge for Cuban society is how to create the conditions so that younger generations can develop their life projects in the country and continue building upon this social structure, which, since its inception, since the very triumph of the revolution, has been a project dedicated to guaranteeing the well-being of children, adolescents, and young people. And so, what we are dealing with now is how to renew that challenge and how to ensure that young people experience it as a real opportunity to build their lives within Cuban society,” he added.

Interviewed by Gustavo Lema.