This decision was made at a conference between the Cuban ambassador and both groups at the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica's conference room recently.

Faith Innerarity, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport, described the move as innovative.

"We are prepared to work with you in terms of a bilateral cooperation so that we can all share in the development of the women in both countries," Innerarity said.

University graduates

Though information from the Cuban Federation delegates showed that men make up the majority of the Cuban population, women have dominated many roles in the country.

Statistics provided by the group showed that women constituted more than 65 per cent of all professionals and technicians, 65 per cent of all university graduates, 71 per cent of all attorneys and more than 60 per cent of professional judges in the country.

Innerarity commended the group on the advances of women in their country. She also pointed out that while there were challenges in some areas in Jamaica - such as the shortage of women holding Cabinet ministerial positions, there had been improvements over the years.

"We now have a female chief justice and the director of public prosecutions is also a woman, so there is a bit of progress made," she said.

Accomplishments

She, however, added that women were still under-represented at the highest level of the judiciary in Jamaica.

One of the accomplishments of the Federation of Cuban Women since 2003 group is the extension of maternity leave. It now lasts until the baby is a year old.

Both women's group aim to enable women to recognise their full potential as individuals and to create avenues for their full integration in society.